


Life Debts and Rare Bounties

by Genuka, Trickster32



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BDSM, Bad BDSM Etiquette, Bunny Farm Escapee, Dubious Consent, Evil, Evil Jedi, Evil Plans, Explicit Sexual Content, Gets dark, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, Light BDSM, M/M, Magic & The Force, Manipulative Sheev Palpatine, Mentions of Dark Side evilness, Mentions of Death Eater evilness, Mpreg, My First Work in This Fandom, Palpatine is an Evil Bastard, Post-Star Wars: A New Hope, Potter Luck, Pre-Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Random Updates, Sadistic Sheev Palpatine, Sexual Slavery, Sith, Skywalker Luck, Slavery, Smut, Tags May Change, Tatooine Slave Culture, This is not my usual style, Trickster32 keeps poking musey, Warnings May Change, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-17
Updated: 2019-03-31
Packaged: 2019-05-24 08:16:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 27
Words: 89,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14950992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Genuka/pseuds/Genuka, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trickster32/pseuds/Trickster32
Summary: Harry looked at the blond kid who had just saved his life and wondered. "How the hell did I get here? Where everhereis... and why do I suddenly owe this innocent looking kid a life debt? Is that a walking carpet? And why are they so insistent on not letting those guys in uniform get a good look at Luke? Oh, hell! My magic has done something strangeagain!"Inspired by: Where Our Intrepid Hero Doesn't Get Away by Sparklight - Ch. 34https://archiveofourown.org/works/4837094/chapters/14105882





	1. Magic Gem

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Trickster32](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trickster32/gifts), [Shadows_Blood_3288](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadows_Blood_3288/gifts), [Wishfull_star](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wishfull_star/gifts), [rozielrie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rozielrie/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Where Our Intrepid Hero Doesn't Get Away](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4837094) by [sparklight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sparklight/pseuds/sparklight). 



> Original Bunny:  
> The idea came from Harry Potter suddenly owing a life debt to Luke Skywalker and the Alliance suddenly needing money plus the joking comment that maybe they should sell Luke to a bounty hunter for his bounty, it being far larger than any other known imperial bounty. The rest evolved from there.
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
> Okay you guys can blame Trickster32 for so much at once and the fact that I've got five additional expanded scenes waiting to be connected to the main part of the story... S/he kept poking this bunny and feeding it inspiration or snippets so it grew... _fast_. Enjoy!  
>  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry kicked and kicked and kicked until his foot came free of whatever creature was currently on the other side of the rusty, brown plant covered, bars which had grabbed at him with blood covered claws.

"Need a hand?" the innocent looking blond, blue-eyes _kid_ asked breathlessly.

"Don't get too close to the bars," Harry grunted in warning as he forced himself to his feet before surveying his surroundings. What he found, to put it simply, was not good.

"Potter! What have you done _now_?!" whispered in the back of Harry's mind in the voice of an irascible potions master and spy.

"Jumped right into the hidden dragon nest, Professor Snape," Harry answered the mental scolding voice with a soft mutter to himself. He was dressed in an outfit he had designed himself after realizing that even when he wasn't trying any element of danger or quirk of magic involved in just about any situation would be attracted to him. As a result when he had been asked down to the Department of Mysteries for a consult he had slipped into his "unwanted adventure outfit". 

A Black dragonhide vest with many pockets enchanted to be both much bigger on the inside and to be bed-rock stable regardless of what direction the outside of said pockets were facing covered Harry's torso. A mokeskin pouch was at his waist on a nice green dragonhide belt. His shirt was a red acromantula silk button up mostly enchanted for comfort but also with a few enchantments aimed at protecting him as if it were armor instead of silk. His pants were black leather taken from a Ukrainian Ironbelly, the same as his boots. The black leather bracers along his forearms doubled as knife and wand sheaths adorned with a dark green Celtic knot motif.

"Hey! Can someone tell me what frack is going on here?" Harry demanded, loud enough to halt the fight in front of him mid-motion.

The room was roughly carved out of some kind of tan colored rock that reminded Harry strongly of some kind of sandstone. The occupants reminded him just as strongly of a Knockturn alley pub with less than savory clientele, minus the alcohol and accompanying stains.

"Hang on, I'll tell him," the blond announced to the suddenly silent room staring at the pair of them. "Mostly its a bar brawl without the bar and more unintended and intended religious insults to various people. I think I heard a few people insult parentage or threaten some form of blackmail at some point."

"Then what the bleedin' hell dragged me across _realities_ or at least to another planet?" Harry scowled ferociously in his best pissed off warrior expression.

The sudden body slam from the blond kid was enough to crush the wind from his lungs as he fought to breath. The equally sudden thunk of some kind of axe combined with a hoarse bellow of rage from behind him told Harry that there had to have been someone in the alcove off to the side of the metal bars which he had trustingly turned his back on. His _magic_ told him that he now owed the kid a life debt. Swearing the green-eyed wizard let go of his magic, slamming everyone except the blond kid, backwards away from him only to pin them each to the walls. Harry mentally groaned. If his magic was already weaving around the kid and acting to protect both of them instead of just him then the life debt was well and truly in place. On top of that it was clearly done without needing the normal extra anchoring and confirmation time between the separate magics of witches and wizards.

"Jedi!" was heard muttering from more than one alien mouth. Harry pushed the kid off of him swearing.

"What the bloody hell is a _jed-eye_ and why would I be one?" Harry demanded huffily of the room as a whole. "As far as I know that word has nothing to do with magic."

"You don't know what a Jedi is?" the blond kid asked slowly.

"Not a damn clue kid," Harry scowled. "Like I said before as far as I know I'm not even in the same _reality_ much less on the same _planet_ as I was five minutes ago and I would have liked to get back as quickly as possible, thank you very much. Instead you went and saved my life and now my magic has acknowledged the blasted _life debt_. Pick out your friends so I can let them down and lets go. I'll figure out how to get back _after_ my magic agrees that the life debt is paid."

"Hey Luke! A little help?" a scruffy looking guy in a vest pinned next to a giant walking carpet of fur called out. The brown fur carpet creature roared something that sounded like agreement to Harry's ears, making him snort in amusement.

"Your friends?" Harry asked with dark amusement.

"Uh, yeah?" Luke said sheepishly, rubbing at the back of his head nervously.

"Fine," Harry sighed, mentally tugging a bit at his magic to let the pair down. "Lets go."

The group of four left quickly with Harry giving them a good five minutes head start before letting go of the simple wandless sticking charm and releasing the rest of those left behind.

"So what's your name blondie?" Harry asked conversationally as they slipped out of whatever underground building they had been in into the hot dry street of a desert town of some sort.

"Luke Skywalker, this is Han Solo and Chewbacca, Chewie for short. We need to get to the space port and back on the Falcon," Luke explained shortly, scanning the crowd around them casually.

"Well Luke Skywalker, you just got yourself a magic bodyguard," Harry joked dryly.

"Good, Luke needs more than just me Chewie and Leia watching his farm boy backside with how much he gets into trouble," Han snarked.

"Sound like someone we know?" Snape's voice snarked in the back of Harry's mind making him pause mid-step before continuing to walk.

"Professor Snape?" Harry hissed under his breath.

"In the spirit Potter," Snape's spirit? snarked right back. "Ask Skywalker what a force ghost is and when he answers tell him that Kenobi is bothering me."

"Um, what is a force ghost? Is it anything like a normal ghost?" Harry asked tentatively. "And why would a Kenobi be bothering one?"

"Something that needs more privacy than we've got," Han snapped harshly as he hustled them along the street while various nearby people and aliens started taking a but too much of an interest in them.

"Down!" Snape hissed. Harry took that as a good idea even as instinct took over and had him diving into Skywalker, dropping the pair of them to the floor and out of the way of the blaster bolts.

"Awe hell!" Han cursed, drawing his own blaster and covering for the pair of them as they scrambled to their feet.

"Did that end the life debt? 'Cuz that's pretty much what I did for you," Luke wheezed as he drew his own blaster and got back to his feet.

"No," came Harry's long suffering response. "Magic doesn't always accept it like that and even if it did we'd probably have been bound as warrior brothers or something since both times qualify as combat. Keep moving!"

They hustled for the, by now, obvious space port and Harry had no problems following them to the Millennium Falcon.

"I still say its creepy how much this place reminds me of Mos Eisley!" Luke hissed at Han as they slipped into the docking bay and dashed up the loading ramp before Han slapped a control, closing the ramp behind them.

"Nah, there are a few differences," Han waved off the complaint with a fond smirk as they all settled in, hiding on the ship for a bit, confident that they didn't need a quick exit from the planet just yet.

"So, where are we, what's going on, and how much trouble does my new charge usually get into that I'll have to guard his back from?" Harry asked in a mix of seriousness and light hearted amusement.

"What do you know about the rebellion and the empire?" Luke asked cautiously.

"Not a damned thing!" Harry said cheerfully. "Where I come from we don't really have space travel at all and its clear that even if we happen to be in the same universe or reality as my home world we certainly aren't on the same planet. I've fought in a war before if that's what you're asking."

"I'll go see if we can download a history text or something from the port authority and then we can use it to rip apart the public face of everything so that he'll understand the reality," Han sighed resignedly as he headed for the cockpit. "He might be your new bodyguard but he's got no idea what's going on or what to protect you from. A few trips smuggling stuff should help get him up to speed and we can use the credits with the information we get for the rebellion at the same time."

Chewie roared agreement and grumbled something about how they were picking up naive powerful cubs far too often for his liking but that it was better than letting the empire have them.

Several weeks of study, picking apart history texts, and of smuggler training by Han and Chewie brought Harry enough up to speed that Luke got some breathing room from his new protective friend. Admittedly, said breathing room was mostly on the Falcon since they hadn't returned to the most recent rebel base just yet but it was a start. Harry also went out of his way to be less of a duty bound bodyguard and more of a friend, which was greatly appreciated by all involved.

"So do you need someone to spar with?" Harry asked in curiosity one day as he watched Luke work with his lightsaber and a remote.

"That would be nice but I don't know how to make it safe for sparring," Luke admitted somewhat sheepishly as he lowered his saber, turning it off for safety reasons.

"So? We can use sticks or something instead. It will give us both practice and I can probably enchant something to mimic your light sword at least well enough for safe practice if I put my mind to it. Besides, you should learn the basics of other styles and weapons in case you don't have a sword," Harry pointed out calmly. "I can mock up or conjure some basic weapons for us to experiment with as we practice. Its not like we want to be weapon experts just skilled enough to stay alive in a pinch."

"Green-eyes has a point," Han said thoughtfully from the doorway into the mostly empty cargo hold where Luke was practicing.

Chewie roared a warning just as they were jerked out of hyperspace by an Imperial Interdictor class ship set up as part of a blockade.

"Chewie!" Han yelped as he bolted for the cockpit. Both younger men headed after him waiting to be either told to man the turrets or to play passenger if they got boarded.

"Aw hell!" Han cursed before they even got to the cockpit on his heels.

"Playing innocent transport or cornered sithspawn?" Luke called questioningly as the pair paused at the doorway to keep out of the way of the working pair.

"Unless we can hide it better than my compartments we need to dump the extra cargo and hope that the legal stuff is fine. I've got no way of stopping these Imps from boarding us," Han moaned even as he fought the Falcon's controls to keep from simply dropping like a stone into the artificial gravity well generated by the Interdictor.

"What if I could, I don't know, turn them into something else for a little bit?" Harry offered hesitantly. They had seen part of his magic in a few fights but he had never explained it and all that he could do because of it.

"Will you be able to turn it back?" Han asked warily, finally stabilizing the ship into a more reasonable flight path.

"Probably but then again if I just shrink it I can hide it in one of my pockets without changing anything but the size," Harry admitted. "I'm just not sure we can grab it all fast enough. If I change it to something else then we don't have to move it, I just have to see it and cast the spell."

"Can you just change the outside packaging?" Luke asked quickly.

"Sure. Its not an all or nothing deal. You might loose a little of the product because I was never that skilled but not too much. If you want me doing it again another day though I'll need more practice," Harry said with a blink of surprise. "I also need an example so that I know what changes I'm making."

"Here, change the packaging to old ration packs and then shrink it and put it in your pockets," Luke suggested, hastily handing him a ration pack as an example.

"You want them looking like mini ration packs or the outside box to look like a ration pack so that it looks mostly normal when I shrink it?" Harry questioned.

"Either, we just need to keep the cargo in our hands rather than theirs," Han told him, scowling at his console and the readouts showing the imperial ships.

"Okay but I'm turning Luke's hair black and his eyes grey as a precaution. Don't think I didn't notice how careful you guys have been about not letting him be ID'd by the Imperials," Harry said pointedly before doing just that and then turning his wand on the illegal cargo. He didn't bother changing anything except the size and cast a feather weight charm before slipping the illegal cargo, cases stuck together with a sticking charm, into his mokeskin pouch. Said pouch which was always on his waist, was keyed to his blood, and had a very strong notice-me-not on it.

"Special cargo secure," Luke called out as he watched Harry's actions with absolute fascination. His ability to see it without issue puzzled Harry but since Luke never mentioned it beyond a glance noting its presence he didn't comment on it. As far as Harry could tell Luke just thought it was a normal belt pouch of some kind, something that was a relief for the young wizard. He trusted them but he also hadn't known them longer than six months yet.

"Just in time kids," Han sighed as they all heard the com set go off at the same time something latched on to the hull.

"Unidentified freighter you are being halted for a random check for smugglers and pirates on the authority of Admiral Kin for the security of the Empire," the com crackled in announcement.

"Yeah, I heard your boys latching on. Just give me a second to get to the hatch so you guys don't have cut through my hull will ya?" Han snarked back over the unsecured and completely open com. Matching actions to words he got up and headed straight for the only air lock with a green pressure light.

A group of storm troopers and an overseeing officer were waiting on the other side of the air lock. Once Han unsealed the Falcon's side they shoved rudely past him and started their search, herding everyone into the passenger lounge with the expected protests.

"You know if your boys hadn't started throwing their weight around I could have told you that we've got a legit cargo in the holds, assuming laws or something haven't changed on us since our last trip out this way," Han complained as Chewie roared his own agreement.

"Sir, we have reports of at least one empty smuggler compartment," one of the storm troopers guarding them reported, having been told over his helmet radio of the find.

"Of course there are smuggler compartments. I won the ship off of a smuggler in a game of high stakes Sabbac," Han retorted. "I run legit cargo and sometimes use the smuggler parts to store my booze, some extra small valuable cargo, or one of the kids uses 'em to stick their latest junk project they don't want me spacing since it got in the way _again_. We don't have anything like that this trip unless its something those two did. They're still learning the trade."

"Hey, those droids and droid parts aren't junk!" Luke chimed in on cue. "I'm also not a bad pilot."

"I prefer to turn them into a nest of blankets to hide inside with a reader when my senses go haywire," Harry shrugged unrepentantly. He actually was known to make little nests around the ship from extra blankets when he couldn't stand the lack of alone time for whatever reason.

"The last time I let you fly you nearly slammed the Falcon into a _rock_ ," Han scowled at the younger pair forbiddingly. "Until you can fly _without_ scaring the pants off one of us acting as co-pilot you aren't flying _my_ ship."

The family-like bickering turned out to be the perfect distraction as the ship was searched and the Imperials found nothing but the legal cargo aside from Han's secret expensive whiskey stash.

"Alright, the only thing you forfeit is a couple of bottles of alcohol and we'll ignore the ship modifications which should frankly be illegal across the Empire rather than in only a few systems," the officer drawled.

"How much of my stash am I gonna loose?" Han grumbled, genuinely put out over the loss of his whisky. "And the shipyard had no issue with the changes, according to the smuggler. They thought it was a bit odd but most of the smuggler's and my own runs are on the outer rim. You gotta be able to fight back when the pirates show up out there and we didn't really need an observation deck so the smuggler's swapping it for a gun well worked out fine."

"Three bottles, we'll let you keep the open one," the officer answered with a smirk and a nod of acceptance over Han's explanation of the obvious modifications like the weapons turrets. The rest of the boarding party left without issue, carrying the three designated bottles and leaving only the officer aboard alongside the crew of the Falcon. "Your grey-eyed friend might want to see about something a bit better than a simple color change. I was studying the wanted holos just before being called to deal with the inspection. That station Skywalker blew up was a monstrosity but the crew was just following orders and their families might not see it that way."

"My name isn't Skywalker," Luke said very firmly.

"I don't care what your name is and I know just from looking that your eyes and hair aren't dyed. I'm just pointing out why someone might mistake you for Skywalker. If you don't want to pay for cosmetic surgery or something it wouldn't be hard to create a scar on your face or something to set you apart from that rebel pilot," the officer snorted. "I have kids too and I can recognize a smuggler when I see one. He seems to be looking out for the pair of you so I won't pry. A word of advice? Don't go running spice or work for the Hutts, you'll live longer."

"Thanks, I hadn't gotten to that lesson yet," Han drawled even as his hand drifted to where his blaster normally sat. They had been caught flat footed since they had expected to be in hyperspace for another two days before having to drop into normal space.

"The lightsaber mock up should be better hidden though, even if those _Hero with No Fear_ holos were popular and are probably still floating around," the officer tossed over his shoulder as he walked back out the hatch and into the boarding shuttle.

Nothing more was said until they were back in hyperspace.

"That, was too damn close," Harry said flatly. "Next time his eyes are going to be green and we can play siblings."

"You're telling me. We're just lucky you could hide the special cargo and that the officer thought it was cute to mock up a Jedi lightsaber from an old holo series or the clone war news holos," Han shuddered. He really thought they were dead that time.

"We should probably keep it shrunk and in Harry's pocket until its time to let people off load it for delivery," Luke suggested. "I don't like how practiced that lighting search was."

Chewie roared his agreement as Han nodded.

"Alright but _no one_ knows about Green-eyes' abilities if we can help it. He just paid for his passage ten fold and more," Han said firmly. No one argued.

"We should head back to the alliance after we get paid anyway," Luke added. "If we pick up a cargo of things the alliance always needs there might be less fuss with accepting Harry as my bodyguard."

"Alright but his magic is still kept under wraps. We tell Leia and nobody else and only in hyperspace on the Falcon," Han said stubbornly. "His stunt just now is something people would kill for and more. We can claim we vetted him on this little trip and its not like the base is going to stay there much longer anyway so security shouldn't be much of an issue."

Nothing more on the matter was said as they arrived, off loaded and then bought a cargo that the rebels would be happy to accept before heading off for the closest rebel base with a few extra jumps tossed in for good measure.


	2. Ruin Security

It turned out that security really wasn't an issue since as soon as they unloaded the cargo claiming it was a gift from Harry and explaining the life debt they were sent right back out on a mission with Leia. General Madine had briefly cornered Harry to try and check his story. It turned out that the fact that Luke and Han had needed to teach him about the conflict between the Alliance and the Empire combined with their initial meeting had been all the protection from the paranoid spy master that he needed. Something which made Harry greatly suspicious even as he mentally marked Madine as dangerous and a potential threat to keep both himself and Luke as far away from as possible. _No one_ takes security that lightly inside a rebellion during a galaxy wide war and lives to tell about it. If nothing else he should have been confined to the large majority of the Alliance under basic watch for a time before being allowed to leave on a mission as a basic security precaution.

"So you are telling me that not only do you owe Luke a life debt but that you had appeared out of no where and landed near him only a few minutes before hand?" Leia asked caustically after they had explained Harry's situation to her with recordings from the Falcon's security systems as back up proof. 

Those same recordings were something they had apparently also shown the Alliance security faction, making Harry much more comfortable with the lack of confinement and interrogation he had expected. That didn't mean that he actually _trusted_ them to keep Luke safe though. He might not be as paranoid as Mad-Eye Moody but between the old Auror, Snape, and Hermione he had learned enough to know that Alliance security didn't measure up.

"That's about the size of it," Harry agreed genially. He had been greatly entertained by how Luke and Han explained his presence on the Falcon.

"Believe me Princess I was shocked too but he got us out of a couple jams," Han soothed. "This kid is a _gold mine_ in a pinch and was even mistaken for a grumpy Jedi... at least he was until he asked what a Jedi was."

"You called it magic?" Leia asked skeptically.

"That's what I was taught it was called," Harry shrugged. "For all I know its using the force in a different way than the Jedi did or its some other completely unknown energy type that I can harness. What I _do_ know is that Luke saved my life and now the link to that energy demands I find a way to repay that. I saved him the same way a little while later but the binding was still in place. It happens. Life debts aren't easy to get rid of or release once they form. If it were just an honor based one we could have already worked something out between us but there is an actual binding element to this. Just as an example, if I decide to try to kill him the bond will kill me in his place unless it recognizes between us that Luke honestly believes my killing him would be a better solution than the consequences of his survival."

"That is both highly disturbing and oddly comforting," Han grimaced as Chewie roared his own agreement.

The sudden Wookie hug was a surprise to everyone as Harry was instantly enveloped in fur. Chewbacca rumbled something deep in his chest which pasted a shocked look on Han's face before releasing the thoroughly ruffled petite wizard.

"Well I guess that answers that. Chewie just formally adopted both of you or fostered you. I couldn't tell which," Han explained in pure bemusement. "Can't imagine why but he also said something about you both needing a keeper, which I can't really argue with."

"Huh, not the weirdest thing to have ever happened to me," Harry said blinking in surprise. This caused Luke and Leia to break down laughing, ending the round of sensitive explanations on a high note.

Three weeks and four firefights with Imperials later the group of five was exploring a potential base site covered in ancient ruins.

"All this dust mixed with the rain can _not_ be good for this place or the equipment that we would have to lug in here," Han grumbled as he shook himself free of a desiccated vine that was trailing from the ceiling of the shadowy atrium-like room.

"I wonder what drained some of these plants of moisture with so much of it in the air?" Luke pondered only to yelp as Harry slapped his curious hand away from the dry plant.

"Don't touch. I know of plants that are not only man eaters but that _chase_ the person down and look like innocent cute little leaf teddy bears," Harry scolded firmly. "Let someone who _isn't_ my responsibility poke the freeze dried plant that is surrounded by airborne water yet still inexplicably freeze dried. That way I'm not trying to reattach a limb with almost no medical training."

"Something doesn't feel right about this place and its not just the weird dead plants," Luke frowned, ignoring the earlier smack and the scolding in favor of his force senses. "It feels... dark but somehow soothing as if we are being called to go somewhere deeper in."

"Called or lured?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"Run you little fool!" Severus hissed in Harry's mind.

"Beware," Kenobi whispered to Luke.

Obi-Wan Kenobi had managed to manifest on the Falcon a couple of times in the last month and Han had been shocked at accidentally walking through him at least once. While not having the same strength in the force as Luke or Leia Han apparently had just barely enough to let him see a thin outline of what Harry had nicknamed mockingly as the Kenobi-ghost. This made accidentally walking through him uncomfortable at the very least. Harry just found the entire situation hilarious.

"I don't think we should stick around," Harry suggested, suddenly wary.

"Yeah, Ben doesn't want us here either," Luke confirmed. His hand was unconsciously edging towards his lightsaber as the shadows started taking on a less peaceful cant.

They had moved only a few steps back towards the main entrance when the floor fell out from underneath the five to the sound of yelps, thumps, and roars of shock. They tumbled free of their landing, which had created a ramp from the fallen flooring, only to find themselves in a stone chamber with three giant black spire-like crystals in the center of the room humming with power. As they cautiously examined the humming black crystals something shifted in the power and dust laden air.

Much to everyone's shock, a moment later two bodies fell limply to the floor, one each in front of both Harry and Luke.

"Oh, _hell no_!" Harry cursed as he recognized the pair of naked men. One was a mid-twenty something black haired snarky potions master that he _knew_ was dead and the other was a ginger haired broad shouldered man that looked suspiciously like a much younger version of Kenobi-ghost.

"Keep them close my little master," Death's voice whispered in his ear with a malicious chuckle. "You are all on loan after all."

"Death, you bastard! What am I supposed to do with them?!" Harry hollered into the air, confusing the rest of his group greatly. The ghostly laughter that echoed back around the room obviously aimed at Harry's defiance and upset convinced them all that he wasn't crazy even as it massively creeped them out.

"Chewie pick up both of them and lets get the hell out of here. We can sort them out when we're in hyperspace," Han ordered, completely spooked. Chewbacca rumbled agreement before snagging the pair of unconscious naked men and carrying them as the group hustled out of the ruins and into the Falcon. They went into hyperspace as fast as possible on a random jump protocol in the nav computer.

"That place is a bad idea for a base," Harry said firmly. He had checked the unconscious pair over personally before Luke and Leia checked them and concluded that aside from being unconscious they appeared to be fine.

"You're telling me," Han grumbled in still slightly spooked agreement.

"So what excuse are we using?" Luke asked carefully. He and Leia had seen to the two men once Chewbacca had set them down on a bunk each and the ship was in hyperspace, unaware that Harry had already checked them. The falcon was only kitted out with six beds with its odd mixed configuration between Freighter and Passenger transport on top of Han's _upgrades_. As a result everyone knew with their extra passengers that someone was going to have to share a bed, trade off, or use the bench in the small lounge area.

"We tell them that the place not only creeped us out but that having unknown people drop out of mid-air for no apparent reason would be a security risk," Han snarked.

"We tell them that the ruins were unstable and had ancient equipment that looked like it was not only still working but posed a potential threat to anyone who sets up there. The over all sense of the place would also be detrimental for moral and sanity regardless of any equipment and transport issues that might crop up," Leia said firmly. "We need a new base but not badly enough that choosing a place with that much..."

"Yeah, I couldn't tell what it was either but it might actually drive people crazy with enough exposure," Luke shivered in agreement. "I sure am glad that R2 and 3PO were still charging when we got here and we left them offline. Getting them out at a dead run when they can't tell what's spooking us is a real pain."

"Goldenrod won't be turned on unless we need him to translate for us, not this trip any way," Han insisted. "R2 on the other hand might need some maintenance with how sluggish he's been recently but I'm no droid expert."

"I'll take a look at him later when we've got everyone sorted out and some answers from our new guests," Luke promised.

"They looked fine when I checked them while you guys were prepping for take off," Harry shrugged. "I think they are out cold more from the transition between being dead and not-dead than anything else. They aren't skinny or pale, no trouble breathing, no muscle tightness, no obvious wounds, nothing wrong except for being out cold and butt naked. Oh and they're more than 10 years younger than they actually should be judging by Snape."

"That was our conclusion when we checked," Leia agreed.


	3. Snarky Potions Masters and Stubborn Heroes

Two hours later not only were the pair of unexpected passengers up and about they weren't entirely surprised at suddenly being either corporeal again or with the intrepid group of potential base explorers. 

"Did you just check me out, Potter?" Severus asked after accepting a bathrobe quickly retrieved to cover his nakedness.

"Only returning the favor, Professor. You did the same thing in the Forest of Dean after all," Harry replied cheekily.

"I have always said that you are one of the biggest dunderheads I have ever met. How idiotic can you be to dive into the icy water with that _cursed_ locket around your neck?" Severus demanded in instant aggravation. He did _not_ like watching Lily's boy take suicidal risks.

"I was a teenager. We're prone to make mistakes at that age. At least I didn't become part of a racist supremacist group unlike you, Professor!" Harry scoffed. He knew it was a low blow but at least he didn't bring up his parents or the Marauders, topics absolutely certain to incense the man.

"No, you only faced down an ancient basilisk, fought off over 100 Dementors, broke into the Department of Mysteries and had a running battle therein with Inner Circle Death Eaters, fought the Dark Lord repeatedly, and made a fool out of yourself. Have you anything to say for yourself?" Severus shot back snarkily. "Or are you too pleased with your heroics to be bothered to think of preserving your own neck over whatever mess happens to be occurring nearby?"

"No one _listened_ so I took care of it myself," Harry said stubbornly, arms crossed and a mulish expression pasted on his face. "Ron and Hermione came along on their own accord. As for heroics? The basilisk might qualify but mostly I was desperate or told it was my _duty_ in some way."

"Why...? Ah, I see," Severus said grimly as he connected the dots and better understood. Dumbledore had a _lot_ to answer for, the bastard. Making Harry believe that all of the so-called _adventures_ could only be solved by him rather than handled by someone actually _qualified_ was just downright criminal.

The others watched this back and forth in open amusement and interest, having been unable to drag much about Harry and his life out of the young man since the advent of the life debt and the results of that event. They had found some spare clothes for Obi-Wan to dress in and had plans to get both men clothes of their own at the next port. The bickering got more entertaining as time went on and they gained a greater insight into both men in the process. When the lack of beds became apparent to the two newcomers another round of bickering erupted between Harry and Snape.

"I'll take the bench in the lounge or set up another nest of blankets in one of the secret compartments," Harry said pointedly. "Neither of you need to worry about not having a bunk."

"If you think I'll let you out of my sight again after the stunts you pulled at the final battle you are sorely mistaken," Severus growled. "If there aren't enough beds than you will share mine. I _will_ keep your hide intact if its the last thing I do!"

Chewbacca chuckled, the wizard-cubs were so cute as they danced about each other both hunting and being hunted by their prey. He bet that the pair of them weren't even aware of the fact that they had started the courting chase.

"If you set up in the maintenance crawlway you're going to be learning everything about it and how to fix it," Han warned lightly. Harry groaned, the man knew he was more likely to hide in the crawlway than the secret cargo compartments since most of those were under the flooring. Hiding in the hold was... less than advisable for a number of reasons and setting up in one of the escape pods was a recipe for disaster.

Without another word Harry tossed Severus his wand. He had been carrying the other man's wand as a reminder and memento. It had been a bit of a shock when he originally retrieved it from the boathouse to find it sparking and accepting him as its new master. In a mirror of that event it sparked yet again as it landed in Severus' hand.

"I wonder if my wand would accept you with how yours accepted me after the final battle and accepted you again so easily," Harry muttered distractedly.

"I wouldn't know. I am no wand expert," Severus shrugged. "We will have to be careful not to loose them and prevent them from being damaged as it is since there appear to be no wand shops from which we might purchase replacements."

"Actually... I'm weaker with the wand and I know you can cast wandlessly," Harry pointed out.

"Yes, but casting with a wand allows for more delicate control," Severus scowled pointedly. Harry decided that while continuing the discussion might be interesting it could wait for another time and allowed the matter to drop with a wordless shrug.

Harry stubbornly tried to set up a bed elsewhere on the ship, treating everyone to the scene of Snape stunning him and dumping him in an actual bunk. Since the stunner had been purposefully underpowered Harry threw it off soon afterwards and tried to climb out of bed only to be pinned by the other wizard's glare. Ignoring the glare from his former professor Harry rose only to be pushed back on to the bed.

"Those circles under your eyes tell me all I need to know about your continued lack of good sleeping habits," Severus hissed. "If I have to join you in that bed to ensure you get enough sleep I will."

"Like you would be willing to in the first place," Harry retorted. "I'm _giving_ you an actual bed, stubborn dungeon bat!"

In response Severus shoved him across said bed to lay against the bulkhead and climbed in next to the smaller wizard.

"Stay!" Severus ordered.

"I'm not a dog," Harry protested but stayed on the bed, quickly dropping into a sleep far deeper than he had yet managed in this new universe. Severus' gaze softened as he lay down beside the boy hero turned man and allowed himself to sleep.

Chewbacca chortled quietly and left them to their rest, sneaking in later to take a holo of the adorable way they had wrapped around each other.


	4. Parental Unit

"... So as you can tell the twins liked to play pranks but there are a _lot_ of spells that only work when cast for or by twins," Harry wrapped up his explanation of one of the Weasley twins' more spectacular pranks gone wrong involving twin based spell casting.

"Could you show us one?" Luke asked eagerly. They were on their way to check yet another planet for a possible base location in as many months. 

Both Severus and Obi-Wan had been passed off as extra crew hired on for the couple of smuggler or freight runs they tended to do between location checks and surveys for the Rebel Alliance. A few of Obi-Wan's and Han's extra identities suddenly gained a son or two to cover Harry and Severus at times but the group made it work. Luke and Leia just claiming their original home planets were enough most of the time for the pair of rebels due to the destruction of one and the remoteness of the other.

"I could but I should probably ask a few questions first," Harry drawled playfully.

"Ask," Leia instructed with faint amusement at Harry's playfulness and Luke's puppy-like enthusiasm.

"Do either of you have siblings or other living relations?" Harry asked, both professional and personally curious.

Both sadly shook their heads no, making Harry feel bad about the question and sorrow for their loss.

"Then we can use one of the family based ones that shouldn't do anything but give us a bit of a light show since you don't have any remaining relatives for it to latch on to," Harry told them, both distracting them and regaining their interest.

Severus felt the draw of magic in time to shout " _Potter_!" before the Falcon disappeared from the asteroid they had landed on for repairs and from the sector as a whole only to land practically in front of Darth Vader inside the Executor's hanger bay. A moment of shock froze everyone before someone had the presence of mind to hit the alarm. The YT-1300 modified freighter was instantly surrounded and boarded by the troopers. Only Vader's shouted order of "I want them _alive_!" kept the situation from becoming a tragedy.

An hour later, the bound crew of the Falcon stood uncomfortably in front of Vader on the deck of the Executor's hanger bay. They were surrounded by a number of storm troopers and Officers as both sides tried to decide not only what to do but also tried to figure out what the hell was going on.

Darth Vader was shocked at who had been captured alongside his son on the unexpected bounty of the Falcon. He had been the one to deliver the death blow to his old master for all that the old man had practically thrown himself on the crimson blade. In hindsight Kenobi had obviously been protecting not only Organa but Luke as well. The smuggler, his Wookie co-pilot, and the Princess were not as much of a surprise but the two dark haired men with them were a bit of a mystery.

"Hello again," Obi-Wan Kenobi said weakly. "There are some conditions you'll need to be made aware of about this situation but as long as you don't separate us before we tell you in private it shouldn't be too much of an issue even if you have us stripped down to our skins."

"I am extremely tempted to do just that, Obi-Wan," Darth Vader said in a very distinct force enhanced glower.

"I get the feeling we may all need medical checks," Severus warned with his own glower aimed at a sheepish Harry.

"Its not like I knew they were twins!" Harry argued back, fighting down his acute embarrassment. "They both thought that they weren't even related! Besides the spell was harmless."

"Twins?!" Vader wheezed in shock, only to be ignored by the pair of wizards.

"Which is why you _double check_ with a _paternity charm_ before casting that particular spell," Severus scowled. "That _harmless_ spell transported us halfway across the galaxy! Its a wonder you aren't passed out in a coma from magical exhaustion and that none of us turned up dead or splinched mid-transport!"

"Both of them thought all their family were dead! How is this my fault? I did the standard checks aside from the paternity charm which is almost never used anyway. If they hadn't been twins it wouldn't have reacted at all!" Harry protested.

"At least it only brought us as a group to their closest relation with a preference for parents, paternal first. If it had picked up more than one source point _without_ that restriction on the spell we could have been torn apart and scattered piecemeal across the galaxy or at least a continent," Severus growled, rubbing at his, by now, throbbing head.

"I think it was the extra focus at keeping us together with the idea of a bubble around us and protecting us that I added with that last pushing clockwise twist of the wand," Harry said thoughtfully. "I started adding protective stuff like that the third time I got caught in some ancient trap that nobody knew about when visiting some place. The goblins thought it was funny enough that they only took half my inheritance for that break in to destroy the horcrux."

"I personally would have preferred to keep your children together despite the risk but Yoda survived and I was over ruled," Obi-Wan explained with a wince.

"What?!" came the shocked squawk from Luke, Leia, and Han nearly simultaneously even as Chewie roared his own confusion. Harry and Severus both grimaced and braced themselves for more unpleasantness as the situation was apparently far more complicated than anticipated.

"If I had even an inkling before now they never would have been touched!" Vader snarled. "Instead I was under the impression they were both enemies and then only Leia was after learning Luke's surname. As far as I knew in a moment where I was lost in the currents of the dark side, barely aware and fully believing Palpatine's lies, I had killed my wife and child!"

"But could you have kept them from Palpatine?" Obi-Wan asked quietly.

"No," Vader conceded after a short pause. "He would have forced them to be raised as Sith and possibly forced them to not only kill each other but also included me in such a horror one way or another. Yet without knowledge of them... I have been little more than a droid since Mustifar until I learned of Luke."

"Has he done such a thing already?" Obi-Wan murmured in distress.

"Yes, taking force sensitive children and turning them into either personal assassins or having them trained in darkness only to have them kill each other so that only the strongest survived," Vader admitted. It was clear that he hated the practice but could do nothing about it. "The only good thing about the temple march was that I kept the younglings from his hands. He had ordered me to bring them to him alive, a last minute change to Order 66. A change I did not remember to convey to the troops. I was also sinking so deeply into the dark side with the only thought to protect Padme and the child she carried as to be nearly oblivious to all else but blindly fulfilling my orders and getting back to Padme."

"Even Voldemort didn't do that. Though Dumbledore skirted damned close to it with me," Harry muttered in disgust.

"Remind me to share the memory of your parents ripping him apart once they got their hands on him for that," Severus muttered distractedly. Harry hummed in acknowledgement as they watched the discussion.

"You couldn't have let them escape?" Obi-Wan demanded in open dismay. Both men were fully aware of what they were discussing and neither were inclined to explain the massacre.

"Every last one of them was registered as members of the order and anyone of sufficient age to be in a padawan-master bond was on the battlefield with us! The order never should have been a part of the war. I learned later that it was all part of Palpatine's plan to first corrupt the order via the war further than it already was before destroying it with Order 66," Vader argued, completely forgetting their surroundings and audience. "None of them had the skill sets to survive outside the order without adult aid and their deaths were better than the tortures Palpatine would have put them through for his own amusement! I made sure they were at least quick and clean. I take responsibility for my own actions but I can not see how I could have avoided what I did."

"Why did you turn?" Obi-Wan asked softly.

"He promised me the life of my wife and child. I did try to go to Yoda about the entire situation but he told me that I should just let them die... like my mother did," Vader answered.

"Wait Shimi died? And you were aware of it?" Obi-Wan asked, flabbergasted.

"I dreamed of it for a full month before hand. Do you have any idea how I felt watching her get tortured nightly by tuskin raiders?!" Vader demanded. "Then after finally managing to go to her she died in my arms! I refused to let that happen to my wife and child!"

"I had no idea," Obi-Wan admitted, pale with horror. "I thought they were normal nightmares, not _visions_. Visions are completely different from nightmares and need to be addressed as the warnings they are. I was trying to treat you as a normal person as I trained you so that you would at least have that against the temple whispers of being the chosen one."

"Except that I have never been normal," Vader countered quietly.

"Wait, is there some sort of prophecy involved in all of this?" Harry demanded sharply, breaking into the conversation and reminding the pair that they had an audience.

"Yes, but I shielded him as much as I could without putting him at risk," Obi-Wan admitted uncomfortably. "As his training master I was also never allowed to actually see the blasted thing. The only thing I really know is that he is supposed to bring balance to the force."

"Oh hell," Harry muttered in disgust. "From what I've learned while I've been here you guys had an overabundance of Jedi for a thousand years, killing off the balancing dark side users for that entire time. That means he was either foretold to wipe out the Jedi and anyone else trained so that the balance could heal and reassert its self naturally or he was supposed to set up a group of dark side users to counter balance the light side users. Instead you guys deluded yourselves into thinking he was there to help the light to continue to dominate and rule. This force thing must have been hurting pretty badly after so long being mostly light if it actually needs a proper balance. You guys clearly didn't get the hint."

"What would you know about it?" Han snarked, clearly more curious than argumentative.

"I lived something similar. Its part of why both of these two aren't still dead," Harry huffed, crossing his arms and nodding at both Obi-Wan and Severus. "I killed the bastard I was supposed to but the side effects from my prophecy didn't exactly go away so that I could live a simple life. Then when I landed here and got bound to Luke via a life debt I was stuck. I didn't find out until later that I was on loan to help with whatever is happening here. It probably has everything to do with this prophecy or at least killing this Palpatine guy, whoever he is. I will have to find a way to double check because from the sound of the cock up that he arranged he's going to be one nasty opponent. If I'm lucky than I'm only here to act as the observer and the occasional smack idiots over the head person. If I'm not... I'll likely get drafted to kill Palpatine and then rebuild the entire galaxy into something remotely functional."

"You want to kill the emperor?" someone choked, fighting laughter.

"Emperor? Who said anything about an Emperor?" Harry asked curiously, hearing the comment.

"Did you do _any_ research about the local situation?" Severus asked with a frustrated growl. Harry just looked sheepish, setting off the man to muttering about reckless Gryffindor idiots.

"I think we might need a consultation between the current trained force users," someone muttered.

"Probably but the catch is getting them all in the same room without them trying to kill each other or otherwise rip apart the area. There are some very distinct doctrinal differences," Obi-Wan told whoever pointed out that a meeting was probably needed.

"There are spells for that," Severus pointed out dryly.

"What are you thinking? A peace ward?" Harry asked curiously.

"Or at the very least dosing everyone with calming draughts," Severus nodded. "If the two of us play mediator and remove all conventional weapons or potential weapon-like objects from the room we might manage to keep it limited to shouting matches."

"No, you won't," Vader said dryly. "A version of telekinesis is something that force sensitive _younglings_ learn before leaving the creche."

"Actually it isn't unheard of for them to figure it out before being able to crawl or at least before they can walk," Obi-Wan corrected with a mix of mirth and embarrassment.

"Intent based?" Harry suggested, automatically integrating the new information. "Possibly with a general protection ward in case someone looses their temper enough to send things flying?"

"I don't know how well a magic dampening ward would do against force users," Severus muttered, frowning. "Intent based might work especially if it is keyed to pin the offender and to work on muggles as well. We can't assume that force users will register as anything but non-magical."

"There are a couple of species on different planets that actually create a null field around themselves in regards to the force," Obi-Wan admitted reluctantly. "Most force users either don't know about them, try to kill them, or avoid them if at all possible. It is very disconcerting to suddenly be missing a sense. From what I understand of your own status it might even be comparable to temporarily stripping the two of you of your magic."

The horrified looks that got from both wizards reinforced Obi-Wan's sudden suspicion that the force and their magic might not be as separate as everyone was assuming. The force hummed in the back of his mind in agreement with the guess.

"Intent ward?" Harry asked while still staring in shock at Obi-Wan.

"Intent ward with progressively nasty consequences," Severus agreed quickly. The thought of even temporarily being stripped of their magic was sickening to them. The anti-force creatures were summarily dismissed as possibilities.

"The point is moot. Not only are you now my prisoners but I doubt we could convince anyone of even coming to such a meeting," Vader pointed out firmly before turning to his minions and issuing orders. "Take them to the quarters next to mine after getting them checked for weapons and any injuries treated. It is the only place aboard that can hold Jedi at any stage of training and there is no point yet in separating them. I want guards outside those quarters on the off chance they manage to defeat my precautions. I want them placed there _unharmed_ for the moment, Commander."

"Yes, Lord Vader!" the officer saluted and obeyed, hustling the prisoners to the med bay for a medical check and a strip search.


	5. Renewal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This entire chapter is basically new connection construction so if you've been following the bunny on the farm you might want to read the entire fic over again since I did make changes between the farm and separate posting. Trickster32 there will be the least amount of changes for you because it developed largely from our discussions.
> 
>  _This_ chapter no one has seen before. Enjoy!  
>  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vader's mind was in turmoil. He had learned about Luke months after the Battle of Yavin and had immediately been determined to claim his son. To now find that the young rebel leader he had questioned on the Death Star was also his _daughter_ was a shock to the system. Even though he had made use of the interrogation droid he was still thankful that he hadn't chosen to try and rip the information from her mind with the force nor had he allowed the more physical interrogation options to be used.

Leia may believe that he had tortured her yet for all that he had inflicted some pain it hadn't been anywhere near as bad as Tarkin or Palpatine would have insisted on. The use of the force to sense the truth in her words and the various drugs used had seen to _that_ regardless of the successful resistance she had displayed to the interrogation. That same resistance was something he was now incredibly proud for Leia to have accomplished even as the memory pained him for having been the one to hurt his own daughter.

Both of his children showed blatant signs of not only his own reckless youth but also the characteristics that had made him adore his wife, Padme, even as they made her the ultimate bane for many of the greedy senators and separatists alike. Leia's fiery passion and knack for political maneuvering was all Padme but her temper was clearly from him. Both of them had Padme's height and gentleness making him want to weep in memory of his angel and praise the heavens that he had his children back safe and sound.

The sight and knowledge of his children's existence was warming a heart that had gone as cold and as hard as the center of a dead star since that night on Mustifar after waking only to be told his family was dead. The only things to have roused even a flicker beyond the betrayed rage of loosing his family matching the vengeance his sand walking spirit demanded in retribution were Kenobi, Luke, and now Leia. Vader would _die_ before allowing his children to be taken from him again and he would make Kenobi help guard them if only for the torture his old master had put him through on Mustifar. Kenobi would not be allowed to escape into the force as he did on the Death Star until _Vader_ wished it and granted the boon himself. His children _would_ be safe.

The relatively gentle handling that their guards were giving them was both a worry and a relief as the crew of the Falcon were strip searched, examined by an actual doctor and provided blank grey jumpers to redress in. Their clothes and personal effects were placed in secure storage to be delivered elsewhere and briefly examined by some unlucky person before being set to eventually be returned via Lord Vader. Harry was just glad that as far as anyone not him was concerned his pockets and moleskin pouch were empty and the weapons attached as part of his bracers were fake because they couldn't be removed. It would be nice to get his gear back when it happened but this wasn't the first time he had to work without it and it was unlikely that it would be the last either.

"How can he be our father?" Luke muttered. The words of Severus, Obi-Wan, Harry, and Vader earlier all having confirmed that not only was his father _Darth Vader_ but that Leia was his _sister_.

"He obviously wasn't aware of the fact until he learned your name, Luke. He admitted as much himself," Severus pointed out calmly. "Just as clearly as Obi-Wan was the only one aware that Leia is in fact your twin sister. All of which was confirmed by the spell Harry cast and the subsequent argument in front of your birth father. It is also just as obvious that the pair of you were not abandoned but instead thought dead by your father and taken by Obi-Wan who in turn believed that your father was dead until after you had both been placed with your new families."

"Its true," Obi-Wan confirmed. "I believed him dead until the pair of you were five when I overheard tales of Vader in the market on one of my rare trips into town. Even if I could have gone against Yoda's decree your father's position made returning the pair of you to him dangerous both as a Sith apprentice and as the Emperor's enforcer. So I worked with what I had. In regards to why you never saw much of me, Luke, that was your Uncle's doing. I watched over you as best as I could but Owen and Beru forbid me to have much contact with you, blaming the Jedi for Anakin's fall and likely also Shimi's death which shattered her husband, Anakin's step-father. As for Leia... even being on Alderaan was too much of a risk to her which is why I had little contact with her or her adoptive family for all that they were friends both of your mother and myself."

"Yoda didn't want you near us at all," Luke spoke without thought yet the force laced his statement with a firm conviction that resonated with the taste of truth.

"No, he didn't," Obi-Wan conceded. He didn't elaborate and the others didn't outright ask even if they sent more than one curious look his way.

"I don't understand any of this," Leia said quietly.

"You aren't the only one your worshipfulness," Han grumbled his agreement.

The door to the rooms slid open with a hiss, granting Vader entrance and catching everyone's wary attention.

"Obi-Wan, explain," Vader demanded shortly.

"Simply put? The force has decided to complicate our lives yet again," Obi-Wan sighed. "As if they weren't already complicated enough. I thought you had died at the end of our duel or were in the process of dying and I was helpless to aid you. I checked Padme and saw that she was still alive so I rushed here to the closest medical aid I could manage to try and save her or at least your child. Fortunately your children survived but by that point Yoda was present as was Bail Organa. Yoda decreed that Bail and his wife would raise Leia while Luke was given over to your step-brother Owen and his fiance Beru on Tattooine. As for the more immediate situation? Harry understands it better."

Vader simply looked at the petite wizard who in turn shrugged.

"I landed near Luke during some sort of brawl, demanded answers from the fighters, and nearly got beheaded because someone had hidden in the niche behind me. Your son knocked me down and earned a life debt from me while my magic enforces it. From the leading questions Obi-Wan has been peppering us with it might just be a different force tradition called as magic," Harry explained patiently. "At one of the ruins we were checking there was a set of giant weird black crystals that reacted to us. I know for a fact that before they landed on the ground in front of us naked both Obi-Wan and Severus were very dead. Strange things tend to happen around me and I've noticed them happen around Luke as well. I have suspicions for a bunch of this but nothing close to concrete so I won't bother you with unsupported ideas."

"Unfortunately, the green-eyed imp speaks the truth," Severus grumbled confirmation. "Our appearance was unplanned, especially as we were dead, and I can only guess at who's idea this situation was to begin with. Although I can confirm the compulsion of the life debt yet knowing Harry he turned into a chance for friendship. There are ways around life debts but you get punished by your magic for even trying unless it truly wasn't your fault or intent to dodge the duty. If the debt isn't fulfilled by the time the debt holder dies and they have children it passes to the children and so on until the debt is either fulfilled or the debtor dies. I can not answer for certain if a debt remains should the debtor die and then later be returned to life but it is likely since a few minutes of death requiring medical aid to rescue the person has been proven to be ineffective against such a bond."

"Do you still have the co-ordinates of this ruin?" Vader asked. This lead to a discussion of the ruins and the planet where they had been given Severus and Obi-Wan.

As the conversation progressed Harry felt his attention drifting away. Unable to focus on his immediate surrounding even as his mind's eye was dragged, kicking and screaming, across the stars to settle on a being dressed in a black cloak with an actual metal sword in his belt. The sword had a skull and wings motif but was otherwise extremely simple for all that it looked to Harry's inexperienced eye to be made of goblin silver. Yet something whispered to him that the material wasn't goblin silver at all but something far sharper and more durable than had been seen in many planetary life times.

Harry's full body shiver in regards to that sudden knowledge was what tipped the others off that something was wrong.

Harry watched, unable to look away as the black robed being tuned to flash him a look, revealing a bony countenance lacking any covering of flesh. Unable to respond other than to watch he observed as the skeletal being of bones slipped through sterile corridors, past tall pale thin beings with long necks, bald heads aside from crests at the top and back. The skull crest size seamed to indicate a difference between the species equivalent of male and female but Harry was unable to be certain with how the lively skeleton passed by completely unnoticed. He was convinced by this point that this was actually _Death_. The same Death who had whispered about being on loan and needing to take care of Obi-Wan and Severus even though Harry had no plans to ignore them once he knew who they were, Snape especially.

Death calmly slipped into a room with a sleeping man. The brunet head of long curly hair lay peacefully on the bed, angled away from them so that he couldn't see the features of the person. The lanky body sprawled under white blankets but Harry somehow knew that under the harsh sunlight bleaching of Tattooine the hair would have been pure blond to go with the ocean blue eyes. Abruptly he understood, this was how Vader should have looked without the suit.

"This body was cloned and brought to development but lacked the force sensitivity the purchaser demanded. They would have killed this clone except that the purchaser decided he could simply transplant the one it was cloned from, without permission, into the new body," Death explained. "The clone was contacted before we returned Kenobi and Snape to your care and the situation explained along with the various options we entities were granted permission to present. He agreed to a merger with his original DNA donor when the time was right. It would give the clone the experiences of a lifetime that he craves yet renew the body of his donor."

"This is going to hurt isn't it?" Harry asked in resignation.

"Brace yourself," Death warned with evil glee before sending Harry back to his own body.

Harry started to feel hot for some strange reason, as if his magic was bubbling inside his chest. Somehow he instinctively knew it would pour out of him at some point and seek out Vader. He also knew that once the magic had taken effect not only would Vader and Obi-Wan need to stay near each other but that Harry himself would be extremely vulnerable as his magic replenished its self. The thought of all that he had just seen was only barely on the edge of his awareness as he fought not to scream from the bubbling heat of his magic as it surged in waves before finally breaking his control and washing over the room as a whole.

The raw scream that burst from Harry's throat was nothing compared to the wave of lava hot magic that burst from him, taking a ghostly form and slamming it directly into Vader, bringing the Dark Lord to his knees. The armor and equipment melted away under the magical onslaught, revealing his mutilated, scarred, and still unhealed form to the occupants of the room. The respirator was violently ripped away by a second wave of magic. A moment later the ghostly form which had previously slammed into him emerged from his chest only to match its self to the Dark Lord as if using him as a piece of clothing. As they watched most of the scars gained on Mustifar faded away only for the damaged flesh to be reused to re-grow the missing limbs and expelled all prosthetics and medical implants, most of which had been destroyed by the magic. By the time the magic was done a barely covered Anakin Skywalker lay where Darth Vader had stood even as both Harry and Anakin collapsed into unconsciousness.

Once the magic had fully subsided Vader was once more Anakin Skywalker in body, whole but for the scar over one eye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, ReflectionsOTR mentioned something about Healing Vader and asked if a clone might be involved, which lead to the merger scene. So kudos to Reflections for helping to spawn that part!


	6. Boundries

For five days the two men lay unconscious, one a wizard and one a Sith Lord. The situation had been discovered by Captain Peitt coming to report to Vader on something mere hours after the magic faded away. The smart man had hastily made arrangement to keep it quiet at the very strong recommend of the veteran clone trooper's suggestion.

"Sir, we may be getting on a bit in years because of the accelerated growth but we've also served with Lord Vader since he learned to lead an army," the clone had told the Captain flatly. "This, whatever this is, is obviously _healing_ him. No medic will have a chance in hell at figuring out what is going on and the prisoners obviously have some clue with how they seem to be adequately caring not only for Lord Vader but their own man. The word was already spread to keep shut about how they showed up until Lord Vader said otherwise but we can't keep it contained for too long without some... creative arguments being used. If there had been any non-clones on duty when this part happened it would already be out."

"What do you need from me Commander?" Peitt asked just as flatly.

"Lord Vader does not wish to be disturbed and the prisoners are to be left alone until he can deal with them himself. Any food or supplies for the prisoners is to be given to us and until further notice my platoon of experienced clones is exclusively assigned to dealing with the prisoners," the clone commander summarized succinctly.

"Ah, yes, of course," Peitt agreed, catching on immediately. "I will arrange for everything short of the Emperor's direct contact request to be dealt with or ready for his approval when he is less... upset."

"He is upset by something they told him but so far he hasn't bother venting so it may be more good, at least for us, than bad," the clone commander agreed quickly. With perfect understanding the two men went about their business until late in the fifth day when Peitt was called in regards to Lord Vader needing something.

"Well?" Captain Peitt asked when he approached the guarded pair of rooms.

"They want one of his there as a witness," the clone commander shrugged.

Peitt nodded his understanding and entered the secured quarters. A nod at the other prisoners as he came to stand nearby while they waited for the pair to wake.

"What Gundark stomped all over my head?" Vader-Anakin muttered darkly. He and Harry had both been dressed in dark silk night clothes by Severus and Obi-Wan working together as a cross between an exam and simply to get them into unshredded clothing.

" _That_ was a spontaneous magical healing," Severus snarked. "One which operated on a rather large scale in terms of individual health. You will likely want a trusted person to perform a complete physical and health check before attempting anything overly adventurous. In regards to Harry, once he wakes he is going to be essentially helpless and need further care as he burned through nearly all of his own resources to accomplish your own healing."

"Lord Vader, at the request of your clone commander only the platoon assigned duty to guard these quarters and your own as well as myself are aware of your... indisposition. It was determined that the prisoners were actually better suited to care for you during this time alongside their own man than an Imperial medic. As such the rest of the ship believe that you are... upset over some piece of information that has been provided by the prisoners and have been contemplating it or extracting more for the last five days. If you so wish we can claim that the final piece of experimental treatment for a previous long term injury has completed its repairs and has allowed you to dispense with your life support suit," Peitt reported calmly. Only a hard swallow betrayed his personal concern in regards to survival. "Anything that could not be handled directly by other staff was placed on your desk by myself or one of the clone troopers on guard duty."

"You did well preventing that fool Ozzel from learning of my indisposition, Captain," Vader-Anakin said, calmly observing the man. "After a fashion your ruse was in fact correct. As you have proven yourself trustworthy you will have the chance to prove yourself again."

"I would be honored my lord," Peitt said promptly as he mentally regarded the offer warily.

"Meet my children, Leia Organa and Luke Skywalker. They were stolen from me as infants and have only just been retrieved," Anakin said smoothly, slipping more back into his self even as he once more became more comfortable with his healed body.

"If it makes you feel any better Captain _we_ didn't know either. Nobody knew until recently," Luke offered up wryly, noting the other man's complete shock.

"I... that is... _How?!_ " Peitt stuttered.

"That is not your concern, Captain," Anakin said darkly. "Is that understood?"

"Perfectly Lord Vader," Peitt agreed promptly, making a mental note to ensure that not only would this group be given the absolute best care but that until ordered otherwise they would be treated as reluctant guests rather than traitors to the Empire.

"Discuss anything else they may need to tend to their man while I have a... discussion with Kenobi in my own quarters next door," Anakin ordered sharply before ushering Obi-Wan reluctantly to the connected entryway that no one had noticed.

A quick shove had Obi-Wan stumbling through only for the door to close behind the pair of trained force users.

Anakin quickly followed behind his former master only to whirl Obi-Wan around, pulling his arm up behind his back even as he pinned the other man to the wall, chest first, as the door closed behind them with a solid finality.

"You took _everything_ that I was trying to protect," Anakin hissed angrily, his eyes blazing yellow with power where once there was white. Right then the only thing protecting Obi-Wan from a far more torturous death than the first time was Anakin's need for answers and the proximity of his children which in turn required that he keep something of a leash on his temper.

"If I thought I could repay it without condemning the galaxy I would," Obi-Wan said, head bowed against the cold metal wall. "If I thought you would let me repay you... I would. You were my family, more than the order ever was. When you turned and we couldn't wake you up... I saved what I could of you. Your wife died after giving birth. The droid couldn't tell what was wrong and we didn't have access to an actual doctor. I knew there was undetected damage somewhere and from the look in Padme's eyes she knew it too. I am not the best in the healing arts and when the children started to have trouble I followed her unspoken order and saved them first. No one else there realized there had been a problem with the twins and I wasn't skilled enough, even had I the time, to also save Padme."

"Anything else?" Anakin demanded, pressing him tighter against the wall.

"I also didn't bring the children to Yoda when I was ordered to for training. They deserved to live rather than be indoctrinated into a failed order. I wanted them to be old enough to choose with full knowledge so that they might defend themselves against any dogmatic arguments Yoda might bring against them having their own feelings, choices, and families if they so wished. I knew that was something you would want. I couldn't give that to you and I am so very sorry for that," Obi-Wan confessed. "Qui-Gon smacked me over the head and set me straight on a number of things once he got his ghostly hands on me."

"You do realize that while I may let some of the others go, like the smuggler, you and my children won't be leaving?" Anakin demanded menacingly. Obi-Wan's explanation had soothed his anger somewhat but it would be a _very_ long time before he forgave the other man for his actions.

"Yes, I gathered that," Obi-Wan admitted. "I also gathered that even if you try to send Harry away, which I doubt, he will stay and guard Luke anyway."

"Yes, life debts sometimes work like that," Anakin agreed dryly, remembering his own Noghir. The Noghir were a people which believed they owed _him_ a sort of communal life debt since he was trying to help them clean up the disaster from the crashed ships on both sides at the end of the clone wars. If he could do the clean up openly it would be farther along but as it stood they had still made extremely good progress on restoring the planetary biospheres that had been damaged.

"Where do you want me?" Obi-Wan asked in a tone of vulnerability that Anakin had _never_ heard from his former Master and friend.

"I am tempted to make you share my quarters just to keep an eye on you," Anakin said thoughtfully, eyes narrowed but dimmer than before with less raw power flowing through them now that he was calmer.

"Don't ask me to kill innocents or harm someone outside of self defense and you basically have free reign," Obi-Wan admitted.

"I have you as a prisoner, how is that any different?" Anakin scoffed.

They both knew what Obi-Wan actually meant. He wouldn't fight back if Anakin decided to punish him as long as no one else was brought into their dispute. Even more as long as Anakin didn't act like one of the enemy Sith with torture and the hurting of innocents when dealing with Obi-Wan than Obi-Wan would return the favor and not act as a Jedi fighting a Sith. Neither wished to fight the other like the way they had both fought against Dooku during the Clone Wars.

"You know what I meant," Obi-Wan said pointedly.

"Yes, I did," Anakin conceded. He reluctantly let go of Obi-Wan releasing him from being pinned uncomfortably against the wall, but not letting go of his wrist as he carefully turned around. "I will allow you to train Luke and Leia _under supervision_. They will be allowed to have their own emotions and they will be taught emotional control to keep the side effects of the force amplifying their emotions to a minimum. They won't be Jedi but they also won't be Sith. Grey, the place in between."

"Thank you," Obi-Wan said with boneless relief as he leaned back against the wall behind him. Anakin's stance and closeness still trapped him against the wall but knowing that this man was willing to let his children _choose_ once their training was complete was a relief. It mattered less to him that they would receive dark side training alongside of their light side training although he knew from personal experience that the rest of the Jedi Council would have thrown a royal hissy fit over it.

"Did anyone else survive?" Anakin demanded quietly.

"Only a handful. I was watching over Luke, as you know. I would have also watched over Leia but she was too close to you and Palpatine, it would have given her away. I know Ashoka still lives and... Yoda. Though I can't tell you for how long the old troll will survive with how old he is," Obi-Wan admitted. "For anyone else you would likely know better than I. I was more concerned about your children rather than the rest of the order even as a force ghost, punishment for being an idiot with my padawan from Qui-Gon not withstanding."

"I may have to present you all for Palpatine to inspect. If that happens... well the best I can probably get out of it is keeping you as one of three things: a pet, a slave, or a dangerous treasure. Luke and Leia can be explained away as upset they were taken from me and taught to potentially act as my assassins. Harry and Severus... will either need to admit to their magic or explain the life debt or both," Anakin explained, stepping away so that Obi-Wan could have some breathing room and Anakin could get a drink from the table.

"As much as I hate the idea we may want to go with the slave aspect," Obi-Wan grimaced. "It would explain away any use you may have for me without raising too many questions. I can honestly tell Palpatine that had you asked before Order 66 I would have left the order with you."

"I proved that I am still Anakin when you were brought to me and we concluded that the force has a weird sense of humor when it not only re-embodied you but practically dumped you in my lap. We can use my chosen one status for this and for my healing if we must and explain that weird things like this happened during my training but that you usually found some way to hide or suppress it," Anakin mused. "If nothing else we can blame the end of my extended mourning period for why it didn't act up until now beyond my interactions with Luke."

"And my crippling you before leaving you for dead?" Obi-Wan asked in an agonized, self-loathing tone that told Anakin more than the earlier apologies had.

"Which is why I was willing to make you a slave. Palpatine knows I despise the practice even as he makes me enforce the custom from time to time. My own past is reason enough to not mistreat anyone who does become mine and also reason enough to think it a fitting punishment for your actions on Mustifar," Anakin said pointedly. "The smuggler can be sent away with their bounty as compensation. We can also have him deliver a message to the rebels not to touch my children again with the pointed addition that they would never have managed to assassinate me even without discovering they were my stolen children. Pointing out they didn't know until they arrived should cover them on the rebel end and will legally put them back under my protection since we officially have to repair the damage done by the mental conditioning."

"Can you use their return to moderate your stances a bit?" Obi-Wan wondered.

"Possibly but until Palpatine is gone you will all be at risk. Eventually, we will have to simply kill him and have me take his place, as is Sith custom," Anakin grimaced. "It will not be pleasant explaining this to them and I can't extend the same protection to Harry or Severus that I can to the three of you."

"Understandable," came Severus' voice from the doorway, causing both former Jedi to whip around to face him defensively.

"How much did you see?" Obi-Wan asked tensely.

"More than enough," Severus answered as he leaned against the wall near the now closed door. "Like Kenobi when I was returned I was youthened. At a guess my body is around 25 without any of the damage it should have while I should be roughly in my 40's judging by Harry's apparent age. During my first life I had to serve a Dark Lord who was in many ways similar to what you have told us the Sith are. I was one of his inner circle and a spy for the light during part of the first conflict that erupted between his Death Eaters and the so-called Light as well as all of the second conflict, both of which Harry ended in... unique ways. The government at the time wasn't even a factor as they were so useless and corrupt as to be barely worth paying attention to."

"What is your point?" Anakin growled.

"My point is that while Harry was involved in the war and ended it he is not a soldier or a spy. If anything he is the quintessential hero of a classic or corny drama. I would guess he is also very like Luke in other things as well. The three of them may be physically adults but of our remaining group only the three of us have the actual experience of adulthood as yet," Severus explained calmly. His obsidian eyes watching them with a shield protecting his mind.

"We need to shield all three of them no matter how much they might throw a fit over it," Anakin concluded as he relaxed slightly, understanding Severus' goal now.

"Exactly. The three of us have seen true war in one way or another. The three of them may have seen some of it but not enough to lodge in their nightmares constantly," Severus agreed. "We need to preserve that somewhat if we can."

"Without telling them," Obi-Wan agreed. "If nothing else it will keep them from being upset as being regulated to children in this situation. All three of us know that they are not children but equally they are young enough that the instinct is still there. With such a dark side viper as Palpatine we can not take risks."

"No, we can not," Severus agreed. "He may break us in this but as long as we hold them safe those three can finish the job."

"Then it is agreed should it be needed the three of us will focus on defending them against Palpatine or anyone else who decides they can claim my twins and your Harry," Anakin concluded, eyes glittering in a mix of determination and power.

When the conditions of their release were presented to Han and Chewbacca they were incensed.

"No," Han said flatly as Chewie expressed his rage and affront at being presented the idea. "We aren't leaving them in your hands Vader. The crazy old man can do what he likes but Luke and Leia won't be left in your clutches no matter what makeover Harry accidentally gave you."

"Sending the pair of you away to deliver this message will let those fools in charge of the Alliance know that my children did _not_ betray them, especially since I don't really care about any rebel secrets they might hold. Unless you both want to be hired as transport and body guards, underlings under private command, I _can't_ protect you from the Emperor. The _moment_ he realizes that Luke and Leia care about the two of you is the moment he will use you against them. I literally can't send Harry or Snape away and Harry has been seen as Luke's guard enough times to get into the reports. Obi-Wan is well enough known by the Emperor that if I don't want him executed or used as an experiment I have to find some twisted excuse to keep him," Anakin retorted. His eyes flared briefly with dark side power as he fought his own temper for the first time in many years.

"Potter's magic will demand that he face Palpatine alongside Luke... just as mine demands that I watch Potter's back. I owe Potter a life debt as well. We are trying to maximize the amount of protection we get out of this meeting," Snape snarled at the smuggler. "This is not the first Dark Lord Potter and I have had to deal with. I acted the spy and _he_ acted the hero the last time, now we act as bodyguards for the fresh hero. As laudable as you loyalty is, and appreciated, we need as few of our group in arm's reach of _this_ dark lord as possible. Do you think there isn't more to simply paying you and having you act as messenger boy?"

"What else is there?" Han asked suspiciously as Chewie voiced his own wary confusion.

"You go looking for those still loyal to Luke and Leia despite who their father is," Severus promptly answered. "They may wind up working for the Skywalkers as a family but first they must be identified and checked for sincerity. You are also to identify their enemies when possible. Feel out both friends and enemies for future possibilities. Make certain to pay off any debts you might have and upgrade or replace the Falcon. How you happen to optimize I will leave up to you as you clearly have appropriate experience."

"Captain Solo, you will be building resources and information sources for Luke and Leia, not me," Anakin said firmly, eyes still Sith yellow. "They need the safety net. If you feel you can accomplish it set up new identities for them as well in case it becomes necessary to have them... disappear."

"This is _war_ Solo. We are just trying for actual strategy over overwhelming destruction," Severus said pointedly.

"And if we object to playing subordinate to _Vader_?" Han asked angrily.

"Han, what they are saying makes sense," Leia said as she and Luke entered the room.

"How long have the pair of you been there?" Obi-Wan asked in surprise.

"Long enough," Luke retorted.

"You decided to see if I was a man of my word," Anakin summarized dryly. "I told you I wouldn't hurt them unless they gave me reason to do so."

"That's part of the problem, Han is known for running his mouth in less than ideal situations," Luke said ruefully before turning to his friend. "Han, we need to stay with him. By now the Emperor knows we've been captured. He can get away with sending you off as a sneaky bounty hunter or someone who just got lucky or fed up with us and decided to cash in. He can't get away with letting me or Leia go and Harry won't, _can't_ , leave me because of the life debt while Severus has made his position clear on leaving Harry. Obi-Wan could technically leave, being officially dead and all, but I get the feeling he won't leave us either even if they were inclined to let him go."

"Ah hell kid," Han slumped in defeat. "I don't like it."

"No one likes this solution Captain if only because of the increased danger to both Luke and Leia," Obi-Wan assured him.

Chewie grumbled mournfully but didn't object again aside from pulling Luke, and Leia each into a fierce hug goodbye. The Wookie knew better than to try the same with Snape. Harry was still unconscious in the other room.

"Ah, can I get at least the security recording of our arrival to back me up? I don't think they will believe me when I tell them how you captured us," Han suggested tentatively, once he had regained his composure. "I realize that it might sound strange but the sections covering our arrival and maybe a personal holo message with you in your armor might go a long way towards getting them to believe me."

"Certainly," Anakin smirked evilly. "I've wanted to verbally tear into Mothma and Madine for a great while. Make sure you set it up so that it goes out to the whole base and you can claim that the lack of trackers, the security proof, and the assurance of being able to buy supplies for the alliance at _one_ Imperial planet with immunity for a month was in payment for playing messenger. Said planet must be cleared with me and you must be escorting said group as part of the confirmation aspect. If Madine goes paranoid about it remind him that I got my children back and that I found them in good health after spending time with the alliance while unaware of their heritage. If he still protests remind him that his own grandfather is Palpatine and let him deal with the consequences of _that_ being exposed."

"Why so cruel?" Obi-Wan asked sadly.

"Because he was one of the worst or best information extractors in the Empire and he hates me. If he ever gets his hands on Luke or Leia with the knowledge that they are my children... I would honestly prefer to have Palpatine trying to break them over that. The problem is that for this to work we have to announce that very relationship and destroy any who come to take vengance as a family," Anakin said flatly. "Palpatine has to believe that I am keeping you out of revenge and amusement while attempting to turn my children as I continue to serve him. Luke having Harry and Severus may be beneficial for Luke but less than safe for Harry or Severus. After the message is delivered I can argue for hiring him full time as a direct messenger between Empire and Alliance or something else. A private pilot? _Something_ that makes him unworthy of personal notice from the Emperor but still attaches him to us."

"We've done it before, during the Clone Wars," Obi-Wan nodded in rueful agreement. "Although, usually we were the ones hiding rather than acting as the powerful sheild."

That apparently ended the discussion, sending Han and Chewbacca off with their things returned to them, the bounty credits in pocket, proof they weren't crazy, and a holo recording of a vicious tongue lashing for Alliance High Command.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll leave open ideas for the message delivery scene and for the actual message if anyone wants to contribute. *evil glee*
> 
> Ideas always welcome!


	7. Message Types

"Was Vader _younger_ than he should have been?" Han asked Chewie doubtfully as they entered hyperspace on a scatter jump course back to the latest Rebel base.

Chewbacca roared a confirmation. He had recognized Vader's younger self as Anakin Skywalker, Hero With No Fear, Jedi Knight, and General. That recognition was one of the very reasons he was willing to believe the entire crazy mess that the situation had turned into.

"Hell, at least we've got a chance to rejoin both Luke and Leia after this little bomb is delivered," Han sighed, gesturing at the innocent little message cube they were transporting. "I know that we all sat looking at him for five days in his new body before even talking to him but the way Luke and Leia reacted and are probably still reacting to only being a few years younger than their own father was... surreal."

Chewbacca just laughed. As far as he was concerned the two Skywalker cubs would get over it before long, especially with the sorrow filled longing way that Kenobi kept staring at their Sith Lord of a father. Having Harry-cub there with Severus-cub would help keep them safe at least until Han and Chewbacca themselves could get back to them. Kenobi might look like a cub but Chewie remembered clearly the tales of his battle skill. Between Kenobi and Vader it was unlikely that anyone bar the Emperor might manage to hurt the cubs and the cubs themselves had a _nasty_ bite when provoked, something they had proven on multiple occasions.

They lapsed into silence as hyperspace danced just beyond the window of the cockpit.

Harry was rudely awoken by his weakened magic as it blared a warning of a threat to Luke. Putting the lessons learned at the hands of the Dursleys to good use he forced himself up out of bed and towards where his magic claimed Luke was. The assassin he barreled into had him instantly wide awake and fighting tooth and nail to subdue or kill her.

Something told him that the only reason why no one was helping him was because this assassin had done something to distract them all and drugged Luke to make getting to him easier. As Harry had been out cold there had been no need to do the same for him. 

They struggled, wrestling back and forth even as the sudden activity drained Harry of the little energy he had regained. An instinctive desperate twist of something roundish covered by plastic was followed by a sickening snap as the fragile neck broke under the applied pressure, causing the assassin to collapse atop Harry in a limp dead weight.

Swearing softly Harry dumped the body off of him and went to check Luke laid out in a nearby chair. From what Harry could tell Luke would be fine but a little groggy when he woke back up. With a grimace he turned to the assassin's body and set to searching it for clues. The only thing he found aside from a bunch of gear to actually do whatever job the woman had been hired for was a small tattoo on her left collar bone.

The tattoo was of a black circle surrounded by a halo of connected spikes which alternated larger and smaller spikes pointing outwards, away from the single solid black circle at the center. The top of the halo was incomplete, instead having a single longer spike unconnected to the halo which was bracketed mid-way up the length by two outward pointed triangles. The placement of the longest spike and the triangles gave the illusion of a crown set within the radiating spikes of a black inked sun or a downward hanging mace with the handle going off into the distance.

"A gang or underworld tattoo if I ever saw one," Harry muttered in disgust at the life wasted. "Perfectly placed for easy hiding under any shirt but also easy use to identify with fellow group members. All she had to do was shrug her shirt back into place to hide it after showing it. Simple enough to be recreated easily, complex enough to know it to be unique to whatever group it symbolizes."

"Very good," came Anakin's voice from the shadows, scaring the crap out of Harry as he bolted to his feet and immediately placed himself between the unknown and his charge. Ignoring Harry's frantic shielding of his son he stepped over to see the tattoo from the downed assassin.

"The Black Sun syndicate. I do hope Luke hasn't gone and gotten caught up with _that_ lot," Obi-Wan noted. He stepped up beside Anakin for a look of his own at the revealed tattoo as Anakin turned his dark yellow filled gaze on the young wizard who had not only saved his son but had healed Anakin himself.

"This may be just as easily because Prince Xizor hates my guts and believes that _he_ should be more favored with Palpatine rather than something Luke or I did or didn't do," Anakin growled angrily. "You have no idea how often he has gone after something or someone I'm working on or with simply to inconvenience me or make me look bad to the Emperor."

"And yet looking at Harry I am tempted to simply send him back to bed," Obi-Wan mused. "Luke looks alright from here, just drugged with something to make him sleep like Leia and Severus. It _was_ Severus' own reaction that warned the pair of us not to join them in eating."

"True. I'm not entirely certain what he said or where he learned those curses but his caustic vocabulary is clearly impressive," Anakin smirked with dark humor. "Its a pity they were already fighting by the time we got here. I would have liked to ask a few pointed questions even if it was in the middle of a fight."

"Who the hell are you?" Harry asked the unfamiliar man rudely, still weak and tired buts stubbornly staying awake to shield his charge.

"Vader," Anakin answered bluntly. "Though I suppose you would know me better as Luke and Leia's father, Anakin Skywalker."

"Ah," Harry said, uncertain what to do next yet still unwilling to stop guarding Luke from the two rejuvenated force users. His body and magic abruptly protested as he once more sunk into blackness, too exhausted to even stay awake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still taking message suggestions. What do you guys want to read when Vader tears into Madine and Mothma? Anything directed at others? Admiral Ackbar?
> 
> *Evil Plotting Smirk*


	8. Message in a Bottle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, fair warning this is probably an oversized chapter. It was also extremely stubborn in not wanting to be written. I'm not entirely happy with all of it but I don't think I can make it better right now. I might curse over some of the choices in a few days or a few weeks but it still carries the plot points that we need for later.
> 
> Trickster32 this is posted early for you. Giz2mo and Phoenix Black (phoenixdaisy), you both helped craft the message so enjoy the fruits of your labor!
> 
> Enjoy!  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Millennium Falcon arrived at the Rebel base less than a week after leaving Vader's ship, the Empire's flag ship, the Executor on their messenger run. Almost immediately after they landed there were wondering on where Luke and Leia were with equal curiosity over Harry not being present as Luke's shadow. It wasn't long before Han and Chewbacca were called to report to the Alliance High Command.

Unfortunately for High Command Han and Chewbacca had just enough time to rig the Falcon to relay entire meeting in a broadcast across the base at a discrete signal from one of the pair, complete with the message Vader wanted played across the base. Hacking the security and com systems on their flight in had been challenging but not as bad as some of their smuggling runs to a few of the more protected or well off mid and core worlds.

There were a few other things discussed as a group before High Command turned their attention to Han and Chewbacca. Mon Mothma's direct look in his direction during a lull in conversation gave Han the moment needed to activate his system hack. They had opted to route it through the Falcon to get a recording and more easily send it back to the base to show full screen on all non-essential displays across the base, the essential screens except what was in the command room displayed it as a half screen split.

"Captain Solo can you please explain why you left with two of our most celebrated people and returned without them after several low priority missions and a few more time sensitive ones?" Mon Mothma asked the smuggler severely.

"Well when you some how land in Vader's lap and he decides to keep most of you but send one poor schmuck off with a message to your leaders its kind or hard to say no," Han told them bluntly, his sarcasm doing nothing to calm the shocked and outraged rebellion leaders.

"What message?" General Madine's strong resonate voice cut through the din, bringing silence in its wake.

For answer Han held up the standard message cube for all to see and before anyone could stop him slipped it into the projective display with his right hand while adjusting the projector with his left.

"The first part is going to be the security recording on how we got captured, something old Vader decided was needed to make sure actually believed me since he made me take the bounty on Luke and Leia. I would have much rather had the pair of them than the bounty," Han said bluntly. Hiding it would have done him no good and it was better that they know upfront so that his head wasn't even more on the line for supposedly betraying his friends. "The second part though is a recorded message directly from Vader to Rebel High Command. I don't know exactly what's on it but it must be pretty important for the concessions he promised not just me but the Rebellion as a whole."

"What concessions?" Mon Mothma asked in open concern.

"A month of complete immunity on a jointly agreed mid or core world to gather supplies for the rebellion unmolested. We will probably be watched and we will just as likely need to search everything we buy for trackers but still a _month_ free and clear on an Imperial world for the entire time," Han told them darkly. "I think Vader explained why in the message but he also told me what his supposed reason was. I just don't think you'll believe me until you've seen the security clip and the message."

"Then by all means, play it man! The situation is obviously far more important than we suspected," Mon Mothma ordered sharply.

The room and the rest of the base watched the security clip in complete shock as the Falcon suddenly appeared and they were dragged out of the ship to face Vader. The following surreal argument between the wizards only to end when they were all hustled off for the medical check.

"You see what I mean?" Han asked into the silence as he started setting up to play Vader's actual message.

"Yes, we do," Mon Mothma conceded reluctantly. "That was certainly... strange."

"I think Vader put pauses into his actual message to let you all react with the way he was smirking when he handed it to me," Han warned.

"How can you tell through that ridiculous mask?" Madine huffed indignantly. Han gave the man a long slow look but didn't say another word as he set the projector to play again.

The familiar chilling sound of Vader's respirator filled the room the moment his armor clad image displayed its self for all to see. A moment or two of waiting in silence was rewarded with his vocoder bass voice beginning to speak.

"This message is for the Rebel High Command. Solo, if you are bothering to review this before delivery I suggest you remember exactly what I am capable of and the fact that I am aware you have been attempting to court Leia."

A moment passed as the threat was processed and Han squirmed a bit, mentally admitting to himself that, yes, that was a very effective threat to keep him well behaved when delivering the message.

"Assuming that I actually am being viewed by the Rebel High Command at this point and Solo is no longer attempting a private viewing I have a few things to say," Vader told them. He paused and, much to nearly everyone's shock, removed his helmet completely to reveal his newly healed form. His familiar Hero With No Fear smirk came with a much darker edge as it was aimed at the recorder while his helmet and the included vocoder were set aside. A tap on the control panel at his chest ended the replicated sound of the previously needed respirator, leaving only his voice to fill the silence.

"As you can see the rather devastating injuries I received shortly after the Emperor proclaimed his new title have finally been healed. This includes the damage that was done to my lungs and virtually everything else," his hands moved to set aside the black leather gloves he had removed, showing completely healed flesh where once there had been prosthetics. "Don't ask me or anyone else how as no one is quite sure of the answer but then again strange things have always happened around me since I was a very small child. From what I've gotten out of Luke, Leia, and Solo the same applies to my children though its mostly concentrated with Luke."

There was another pause as he looked squarely into the recorder with blue eyes circled by the glowing yellow power of the dark side energies.

"Mon Mothma, as a courtesy in honor of the friendship you once showed my _wife_ , Padme, I tell you this. I did not choose to become Vader and I see no path free for any of my family except for following Sith tradition to its conclusion. Being a virtual slave is often very like being an actual slave, there is simply more illusion of choice and a bit more freedom to roam. As to the use your rebellion has put my children... The only reason I am not ordering every single spy and sleeper agent we might have among you to start discretely sabotaging hyperdrives and life support while sending off the location coordinates so that I can bomb you out of existence is the excellent condition both Luke and Leia arrived in. As the security recording indicated none of us were aware of our familial relation until quite recently. It was officially double checked during their medical exam as a security precaution in part because of the known cloning technologies. Your rebellion will never touch my children again and while I may be keeping Kenobi alive they will not be learning purely Jedi dogma either. If anything they will be grey rather than Sith or Jedi until they choose a path on their own once preliminary Force training is complete."

A moment of silence passed as he allowed them to process what he had told them before he spoke again.

"You need not fear the pair of them giving away Rebellion secrets. At this point I could honestly care less what secrets they keep on your behalf now that I have them back again. I have arranged for Captain Solo to act as a completely neutral go between and messenger. He will not give away your secrets though I have no doubt that if he believes it will aid Luke or Leia he will give away mine. I will not stop him or them from giving you information during his message runs between us as long as you understand that my children are off limits."

Mon Mothma sighed but nodded her understanding into the newest silent pause. She hadn't liked sending them on some of those missions in any case. They were just the best fit at the time or Madine pushed for it.

"Madine... if you _ever_ hope to survive you and your people won't come within a _parsec_ of my children," Anakin snarled, his eyes suddenly blazing with anger and dark side power. He was very clearly Vader in that moment. "If you get anywhere near them you sadistic bastard I will _burn you alive!_ I know a lovely volcano planet that has the perfect spot for it too."

The vicious declaration sent chills down nearly everyone's spine. Madine though just glared hatefully at the message projection, his jaw working as he ground his teeth in rage.

Anakin visibly calmed himself before moving on to directly address the last person on his short list.

"Admiral Ackbar, at some point you, I, and Admiral Thrawn need to sit down and have a drink together. I recognize that you've adapted some of General Kenobi's tactics and I think the four of us need to sit down with drinks and some trips down our respective bloody memory lanes. If nothing else it will be a nice get together between fellow officers of decent tactical caliber, maybe a strategy game or two. I can't promise we will ever be on the same side but you can use Captain Solo to contact me for that drink. You'll obviously get temporary immunity if we decide between the three of us on an Imperial world for that get together. Between the regular drink meetings I hope we can set up and both sides using Solo as a diplomatic messenger or envoy as a complete neutral we might actually get some clear direct communication between everyone."

Anakin smirked at them as he let the surprise sink in at his respect for the Mon Calamari Admiral before commenting on how pleased he was with Luke and Leia's treatment.

"The rebellion has kept my children safe and treated them well. Any who chose to follow them yet not serve the Empire will be welcomed into my household as the start of those serving both Luke and Leia directly. You will not answer to me, you will answer to my children. How that will be organized will be up to the pair of them. Those of Alderaan wishing to continue seeing Leia as their Princess can arrange for contact through Solo. I know what it means to have a people to care for and will honor that, know too that when Tarkin ordered the Death Star to fire on Alderaan I had listed my objections to using the blasted monstrosity on any planet much less a populated one. All I could do was keep Leia from physically attacking Tarkin on the bridge even as I wanted to join her in striking the bastard down. He would have killed her without a single moment of hesitation and yet he still later ordered her death. Only the arrival of the Falcon with Luke and Kenobi allowed me to arrange for her escape, arguing that she was more useful returned to you than as a dead martyr. Had I been able to get away with it I would have gladly fired the same shot that my son did and destroyed the blasted abomination. Though I will admit to wanting it evacuated first and possibly scrapped for parts as less of a waste rather than simply blowing the damned thing up."

Another pause came before he finished the message, delivering his last warning and the information on the reward.

"As a reward for their safety, technical training, and general overall good health I will grant a temporary month long pardon on a single Imperial planet. Which one is to be discussed later. This is done so that your rebellion might gather supplies of all types safely in return for the good health of my children and as a gesture of good will because of both Luke and Leia's favorable opinions of your people. Captain Solo must be present when receiving this as both confirmation and neutral watchdog. He is familiar with both sides of the resultant operation and will ensure that there is no breach on either side during the temporary truce. As much as we have been enemies for the most part you have my respect. May the force be with you."

Anakin ended the message with the traditional Jedi goodbye. The echo of Anakin's last words entering from the hallway clued the command room into the fact that the entire thing had been seen across the base. There was absolutely no way to keep the message quiet and from the rest of the base or the rebellion as a whole.

"How exactly did you breach our security?!" Madine demanded, completely enraged. He was the first person to break free of their shock and say even a single word even as he was the first to realize that _Solo_ was the reason for the lack of privacy and security during that message.

"What? You thought smuggling just meant fly in and fly out? Maybe a few secret compartment to slip the illegal stuff into so some jackass doesn't stumble on it in the inspection? Sometimes you have bamboozle or completely take down a com net or a planetary security system even if its only for a few seconds to live through a run," Han retorted, eyes hard with jaded coolness.

Han knew the other man's reputation, how he liked inflicting a bit of extra pain when asking questions even when it was counter productive. It was a wonder that the man had even left the Empire. Although, with what Vader had told him about Madine's heritage it wouldn't surprise him if the man just wanted power or revenge against his Grandfather over something. It wasn't like the rebellion could be overly picky about who it accepted in its ranks when converting former Imperials and getting trained personnel. Especially with the fact that unless you joined as an Imperial spy it usually earned an automatic death sentence from the Empire as traitors. Of course Luke and Leia had turned out to be exceptions to that little rule and since Han and Harry were following the twins while Severus and Chewbacca were following Harry and Han respectively the six of them together were fine. Then again if the Emperor decided he wanted any of them dead it was going to become a real challenge to survive in the wider galaxy real quick.

The security checks that Harry had been concerned about both in that they hadn't appeared to happen and that they might try to force him away from Luke had instead happened quietly leaving Harry mostly unaware. Han, Luke, and Chewie had all vouched for him and the fact that he had absolutely _no_ connection to the Empire had gotten him clear. The crew of the Falcon had quietly offered to run low priority off-base missions and surveys as a precaution to keep Madine from getting his hands on Harry even if it hadn't really kept the man _away_ from the petite wizard.

"We could have used them to bring Vader to his knees! Hell, they were probably reporting to him the entire time!" Madine raged, completely unaware of how his tantrum was alienating the people around him. The slight edging away from a crazy person was palpable around the man.

"What like _you_ are? Or is it Palpatine you report to instead? After all he _is_ your _**Grandfather**_. Why did you leave grand-pappy's Empire anyway?" Han said mockingly, his eyes as cold as ice. "Did he toss you aside for Vader? Is that why you've been ragging on Luke? Because he is force sensitive and you aren't?"

"Don't go all high and mighty on us, Solo," Madine sneered hatefully. "You might as well have been a traitor yourself with how cozy you've been with both of those two _sithspawn_! In fact you _are_ a traitor and I will be more than happy to ensure that your darling sithspawn lover gets your detached _head_! Just as I'll do the same to those traitors in regards to their _father_ once I get my hands on them!"

Chewie roared open, infuriated, defiance at the blunt threat to Han's well being and that of the twins. Thankfully, there had been no mention of the wizards as well or Chewbacca wouldn't have even bothered trying to keep his temper and he would have been ripping Madine apart, _literally_. As it was he only kept his temper because only Han was remotely in the sick bastard's reach and Vader's pronouncement of them needing _Han_ to get at the reward for keeping Luke and Leia alive and healthy.

"In case you've forgotten Madine, Leia was legally adopted by the Organas. So not only have you threatened the sister of the Hero of Yavin and the Daughter of Vader but you've also just practically ordered the execution of the last member of the _Royal House of Alderaan_. Not to mention all those rumors and assumptions that Vader is basically Palpatine's heir no matter what your blood connection to the Emperor is. Then there is Luke... I don't know about your hateful ass but I have never been loyal to the rebellion as a whole, something that I bet is true for most people. I am loyal to _Luke_ and _Leia_. Right now I'm just playing messenger boy to try and keep the lot of you from trying to kill them over a parentage they didn't even know they had until we landed in Vader's lap a week ago," Han snarled right back. "Chewbacca legally adopted or fostered them (I was never quite sure which) along with Harry awhile back according to Wookie law and he happens to be the heir to major Wookie clan chief. Not to mention the _full month_ of immunity to purchase supplies for the Alliance in open daylight on any cleared Imperial world as a reward for keeping them safe. So remind me, why exactly do you want to kill them again?"

"He's done more than that Captain Solo. Their mother was Padme Amidala, two term Queen and Senator of Naboo. I recognized Leia's resemblance long before she even set foot on a spaceship after the adoption," Mon Mothma said in a pained voice. "With this new proof that Vader is Anakin Skywalker and the known duplicity of the Emperor we must assume that Knight Skywalker got caught in his web and was unable to wrench free for whatever reason. I personally knew him as a good, loyal, and just man. We may not have enough pieces to explain why he turned to the dark side but the threat to his family and sudden loss of them are reason enough for his becoming Vader."

"Yeah, well the Force returned Kenobi to the living a little while back. Something you'll remember we didn't really explain with how much the delivery place spooked the lot of us. He admitted to some things I wasn't exactly supposed to overhear. Apparently, some little troll named _Yoda_ was the one to insist on taking Luke and Leia so that they could be turned into Jedi before being sent to kill both Vader and Palpatine. They weren't exactly pleased to find out they were set to assassinate family no matter what problems they personally have with Vader," Han shrugged nonchalantly. "Kenobi's screams when the mind block Vader found was removed were a bit painful on the ears. From the sound of it someone really didn't want him able to say no about something. Vader was furious. It took him a good five hours to burn through most of that anger, crushing asteroids from a distance using the force."

Han wasn't entirely sure how he knew that fact about the mind block and the results but something told him it was completely true. He also just happened to know that the Executor's crew was suddenly glad for a new non-lethal method of relieving Vader's rage in a pinch, again the information came without an explainable source.

When Madine abruptly pulled a blaster on Solo with a snarl of rage plastered across his face all hell broke loose. Chewbacca roared in fury even as Han's meager force senses screamed a warning and he hit the deck. The blaster burn that scorched the back of his vest and shirt _burned_ and he knew that it would be smarting for quite a while. The shoot out was short as Madine made a break for the exit only to be later run down and beaten to death by half the base for his threats against Leia and Luke before ever reaching the hanger.

Hidden within the force none of the rebels realized that Palpatine had watched the entire matter from message through the after effects and his grandson's death. The loss of Madine didn't matter for him. The mewling brat had always been a failure, not worthy of being his heir and completely force blind to boot. It was his own fault and barely covered the payment due with his life for his latest mistakes. The Emperor's focus was instead aimed at the little group from the Falcon. Especially as the older of the two black haired men made him smile. The younger could be left in young Luke's care as a reward for healing Lord Vader.

"It seems I have found my new pet. Soon, I will made him submit to me while ensuring that neither Vader nor his children will ever be able to escape my grasp," Palpatine laughed into the empty air of his private quarters. "A few dreams will ensure that the force prepares my pet for me and he will be most happy to serve me unless he wishes to watch his younger companion being tortured before being executed for treason."

Palpatine would grant the promised month of immunity to gather supplies on a mid-world as a reward to Vader for cleverly manipulating their enemies into eliminating his useless grandson. Vader had in one fell swoop assured his place as Palpatine's _true_ heir and secured his own children, claiming them back from the clutches of the Rebellion while gaining a sort of sympathy from the rebels themselves. Vader's promises of jobs and safety for those who followed his children might even return a portion of them to useful service within the Empire.

The Emperor could be generous. A month of immunity would be granted while he would, with the help of the force, be spying on the whole group. This most especially applied to his future pet and all of it without anyone the wiser. His trap would snap shut as soon as the group from the Falcon was within his reach. Not a single one of them would be able to escape his grasp.

Those two sticks though, the _wands_ , which the black-haired duo carried with them. Those needed to be examined more closely at some point. Could they be a different form of lightsaber?

Of course if the group happened to provide something _more_ valuable than his future pet in trade he could always re-claim the sarcastic man at a later date and experiment with everything then. Once claimed he would enjoy stripping his pet to the core and ripping out all of the secrets held within his brilliant sarcastic mind.

It was such a coincidence that the younger companion seemed to be the weakness of his future pet. Yes, the emperor smiled darkly, nothing would be able to stop him. It was time to gather his special drugs from his private lab, just as a precaution. After all he was a Sith not a gullible Jedi. The Emperor's ghost-like force touch of fingers slid slowly over Severus' torso as the Potion's Master took a shower while he sorted his own mind in regards to this latest bout of insanity that was his life. Onyx eyes narrowed as he looked warily around. Something wasn't right, his instincts screamed loudly within his mind even as his Occlumency shields snapped up into place, protecting him from further intrusions.

At once Palpatine removed his force touch from the wet body. It was as he had thought, the dark-haired man would most certainly make a perfect little pet for him after he got his hands on him. The ability to keep anyone else from touching him without leave would be a delightful bonus once his pet properly understood his place at the Emperor's feet along with the Sith's right to anything the man might have.

The Force, Magic, and Death silently seethed in outrage at these considerations and events, vowing not to let the Sith Master claim their gift to their young green-eyed champion. Death debated heatedly with the Force and Magic about submitting a warning to the group. The group needed to know about Palpatine's plans or they were doomed to failure. Should Palpatine manage to claim Severus for any length of time he would be able to create even more chaos and destruction in the galaxy.

The Emperor had to be _stopped_ as soon as possible.

Of course when Harry _finally_ tapped his full potential and combined it with his fury... well the area was not likely to survive intact unless Harry particularly cared about that specific person or object surviving. The destruction would be _glorious_. Death, Magic, Fate, and the Force wanted to see what he would do to the old half melted Sith when he finally lost his temper. Equally they didn't want to become future targets for Harry's rightful wrath whether because of allowing Palpatine's destructive tendencies to run wild with magic backing him up or because they let the decrepit Emperor actually touch Severus. This was going to be a very delicate balancing act.

The debate between the meddling entities continued long into the next day.


	9. Old Wounds

Harry had slowly sunk further into properly restful sleep after his collapse from utter exhaustion, the defeat of the assassin (whose body had been quickly cleared away) having done no good for his already weakened condition. In point of fact the only reason the rest of them hadn't been more concerned originally was because the abrupt healing his magic had granted Vader had also delayed most of their medical reports beyond the preliminary one from getting to him. As a result he was already unconscious for the second time when they learned of the long term damage and malnutrition he had lived with for most of his life.

"What's wrong?" Obi-Wan asked as Anakin went still while checking some paperwork that had been waiting for him on his desk. Harry had just collapsed for the second time and the three which had been drugged would take another three hours to even begin to wake up.

"Little Harry is going to need more than just sleep," Anakin said softly. His eyes glowed in anger at the medical report he had just read.

"What do you mean?" Obi-Wan asked warily. For an answer Anakin handed over the medical report he was holding and watched his former master read it.

"Damn," Obi-Wan cursed. "Severus is going to be furious over this, not that I am any more pleased with the damage."

"He will receive appropriate care," Anakin promised. "He is also never going back to whoever put him through those injuries growing up."

"Anakin," Obi-Wan started hesitatingly as he saw the flare of not just protectiveness but possessiveness in the other man's gaze.

"Its not an issue Obi-Wan," Anakin assured him. He knew how to let go even if he never _liked_ the feeling, especially with the dark side making it even more difficult to do so. "All five of you are mine but I can't afford to let you go without a fight for any number of reasons. Harry's defense of Luke and Severus' warning included them in this family. They will have the resources and protection they need and we can talk about helping them home with a few additions to keep them safe after Palpatine is dead and no longer a threat."

Obi-Wan observed him quietly for a moment before nodding, conceding the point.

"You know if we are going to pull off the slave routine we might need some practice," Obi-Wan commented.

"You'll need more than that," Anakin snorted with dark amusement.

"Oh? How so?" Obi-Wan asked lightly, slightly apprehensive.

"To start, as my slave I can demand _anything_ of you that I so choose," Anakin reminded him nonchalantly, sending a chill down the other man's spine.

"And what would you demand of me?" Obi-Wan asked cautiously.

"To make this truly believable you will be sharing my quarters and unless you have a specific task, such as training the twins, or permission to relax elsewhere you stay at my side," Anakin told him flatly. "I won't collar you or put an explosive slave tracker inside you but you have to obey me for the most part. If this moves in a more... pleasurable direction I am telling you now that you have permission to say no to me. I can't promise the same if I'm forced to share you with someone else for whatever reason or if you are taken from me. At some point I may need to give you a tracker simply to mark you as mine."

"I understand. I lived on Tattooine while Luke grew even if I stayed mostly as a hermit and desert wizard. I know what all of this entails even if I never experienced it first hand," Obi-Wan countered quietly.

"Did you learn the desert rituals then? Do you know what it means to share water? To be of the same water? To be of the same blood? To walk the sands? To seek the Krayt Dragon in its lair?" Anakin asked with predatory intensity.

"I did. I do, and I learned of the Bantha partners. The sturdy Dewback walk. The irritation of the Womp rats and the risk of their swarms. I have heard the snarls of the Massiff and felt its bite. I may not know all of the customs but I am not as much of a stranger to the desert as I once was," Obi-Wan countered.

"You remember that the slaves of Tattooine had certain practices regarding marriage?" Anakin asked intently.

"Yes," Obi-Wan agreed warily. "If I recall a marriage can be broken for the protection of the family, for willful infidelity, and if both parties agree. Often the marriage was signified by a particular braid pattern or a carved piece of jewelry given by the spouse with the marriage pattern etched into it. Age was no limit as long as the people had hit puberty and gained approval from the designated elder or overseer. It was also acknowledged if the owner(s) involved accepted it. Actual marriage licenses, however, were only ever issued to those who were free at the time the ceremony occurred. Triads are somewhat rare but not unheard of and the protection of family is often invoked when it comes to the slaves and being sold or moved elsewhere by an owner."

"You never learned what the actual ceremony was? Only what signified it had occurred?" Anakin asked with deep amusement. "What about adoptions? Do you know those ceremonies? Those symbols? The family markers that owners or off-worlders either never know or never see?"

"I didn't have much contact with people," Obi-Wan reminded him hesitantly.

"That's alright," Anakin assured him, his mouth curving into a satisfied half smile edging towards a smirk.

Anakin had marked Obi-Wan a long time ago with the much more rare force touch version of the planetary adoption marker. Any Tattooine native who could sense the mark would have known Obi-Wan was to be accepted as one of their own even if his Tattooine family member was gone off-world or lost to the sands. The mark wasn't specific as to _how_ the relationship was formed or what state it was in only that one of Tattooine's children had accepted the marked one as one of their own. It was strictly drilled into all natives be they Jawa, Sand People, or one of the imported sentient species what qualified for one to be marked as an off-world child of Tattooine. Once identified by another force sensitive Tattooine native Obi-Wan would have been immediately included as a child of the sands and subtly taught the customs as well as protected until he could do so himself as he walked the dunes.

The discussion ended with Obi-Wan vaguely uncomfortable, believing he had just missed something extremely important. He had no idea that his former Padawan was plotting a slightly more permanent claim than was expected and on more than just Obi-Wan himself. After all Harry _had_ protected Luke with deadly force and healed Vader himself, not to mention the protection Harry had clearly also bestowed upon Leia. Presuming that Palpatine didn't interfere Anakin planned to have a solid claim on all five of them before too long, one way or another.

"They will be quite the Jedi once they are trained," Obi-Wan said, looking in the direction of Luke and Leia. Anakin's angry retort froze on his lips as he looked at his old Master and saw the practically unnoticeable glaze to his eyes.

"What did you say Obi-Wan?" Anakin asked softly.

"I said they will be quite something to behold once they are fully trained," Obi-Wan repeated the glaze leaving his eyes.

"How familiar are you with the stronger form of the mind trick? The one that establishes actual compulsions?" Anakin said carefully. Obi-Wan looked at him horrified as he glanced fearfully towards the twins in the other room.

"You misunderstand. Less than a minute ago you were showing signs of being under the influence of that technique. I have never had plans to use it in any fashion. You know I never liked using the more mild form of the trick," Anakin corrected his obvious conclusions gently.

"Well, it wouldn't be the first time an enemy has tried something like that with a Jedi," Obi-Wan grimaced in understanding. "At least we both made certain that we were skilled enough in such basics even if doing a mind scan for tampering and repairing the tampering on another trained force user is not that far from torture at our level."

"Then we had best get it done while they sleep," Anakin pointed out neutrally.

"Yes, we had best get it done. No need to worry them if it turns out to be nothing," Obi-Wan sighed in resigned agreement. An hour of screams later Anakin was in full Sith Lord Vader fury and in need of some way to safely vent as Obi-Wan slept off the ruthless effects of the mind scan and the mind block removal. A nearby asteroid field suffered for his wrath as the crew of the Executor breathed a sigh of relief followed by another one of concern over Vader's infuriated state.

Luke, Leia, and Severus wondered at Vader's foul temper when they woke from their drugged sleep but wisely stayed out of his way. The medical report on Harry though had been left out and discovered by them while the fallen Jedi tried to reign in his temper and Obi-Wan slept off his migraine.

"Severus? Is this right?" Luke asked neutrally, handing him Harry's medical report. The expressions that graced the Potions Master's features as he read through the report convinced the twins that not only had he not known he was also furious at whoever was responsible for the damage.

"Potter is going to be the death of me," Severus ground out. He immediately found the sleeping form of the Green-eyed trouble magnet and started very carefully checking him with magic and greater attention to detail than when they had originally slid him into new night clothes.

"We can talk to Vader about getting him medical care," Leia promised quietly.

"The reckless little fool did something while we slept. He's even more drained than before," Severus informed them as he slumped in defeat next to his charge.

"That reckless little fool kept an assassin from killing Luke and presumably the rest of you when the drugged food kicked in. Obi-Wan and I might not have made it in time but by the time we got there he was already fighting her at close quarters and we couldn't jump in safely," Anakin corrected from the doorway, finally calm after hours of crushing asteroids. "I've already promised Obi-Wan that he will receive proper care for his less than stellar medical condition. If I have my way Harry will carry the name Skywalker before long."

"What do you mean?" Leia asked suspiciously.

"A new brother for the pair of you," Anakin said calmly meeting his daughter's gaze. "He has well proven himself and I've taken a liking to him."

"Is that common?" Severus asked suspiciously.

"No, it isn't," Luke answered quietly for his father. "What happened?"

"He fought like a Krayt Dragon in your defense, dragging himself from slumber and shielded you until he passed out again. The force calls to link our family and claim him as my child, your brother. I can hear his magic sing of the sands of Tattooine, the rivers and forest of Naboo, your mother's world. His blood though sings of the stars, the force, and lightsaber blades. It took me a while to realize what I was hearing after I woke up," Anakin answered honestly. "If the Emperor weren't such a threat I would have already laid claim with the desert bonds."

Luke swallowed hard. He knew what his father spoke of, he was the only one of the three who did. The other two were not Tattooine raised and wouldn't know the significance. The desert bonds were an honor and would bind the entire family to Harry. It was a bit more than a simple family adoption, one that didn't need Harry to be awake for as the most common use was for those wounded in defense of the adopting family.

"I understand," Luke said in quiet agreement. Both ignored the puzzeled frowns of the other two.

"Explain," Severus ordered shortly, hovering protectively over Harry.

"You aren't a child of the sands. I doubt I could explain it properly," Anakin shrugged. "The closest thing the wider galaxy has is a family adoption, one acknowledged by the very planet of Tattooine and not just by its people. There are lesser forms than the desert bonds. I wouldn't be surprised if it was a different form of magic, most natives consider it as such in any case. The sense resonates in the Force as well. There are legends of the desert bonds but this isn't the time for old tales."

Severus just grumbled over that but didn't argue. He was more than a bit familiar with magic being himself a wizard as well as holding a Mastery in both Defense and Potions. Sometimes magic acted in the strangest, most willful fashion that baffeled one and all. It was something Severus had found was a unfortunate common occurance around Harry which seamed to be mirrored in the Skywalker clan. How did he get caught up into this again?

"The Doctor will be able to look at him in an hour or two when he comes on shift. It won't surprise me if he needs a special diet, corrective surgery, or time in a bacta tank," Anakin warned. "If nothing else we can open up some of his more nasty scars and stick him in bacta so that it heals with less scarring."

The others nodded reluctant agreement and waited for the doctor to come on duty.


	10. Chessmen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, old Palpy is going to start taking a bigger part now with all of his meddling and such so don't be surprised at how much our group starts having to deal with.  
> Enjoy!  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry woke up submerged in a strange liquid with a breathing mask over his lower face. A moment of total panic had him instinctively trying to swim upwards only to crash into the lid on the bacta tank.

Severus looked up from his reading pad at the sound of the crash and sighed. Pitching his voice to carry through the medical fluid he scolded the other wizard, knowing it would calm his charge. "Potter! Stop thrashing about and let the potion do its job."

Harry turned within the bacta to see an irritated Potions Master scowling at him from his nearby seat and calmed at the sight. If Severus counted whatever this was as a potion and had left him in it he could be pretty certain that it wasn't strictly harmful. After all he hadn't pissed the man off _that_ much... yet.

"I will alert Lord Vader of his status," the Doctor said quietly. "He still needs a couple more hours in the bacta between how many bones we had to re-break and the cuts needed to deal with removing the foreign material that was found."

"Acceptable," Severus agreed before turning back to critically watch Harry as he floated in the liquid.

It was a little more than a week after Solo had left to play messenger boy and Harry had been out of it for almost as long as Han had been gone.

Harry quickly found that floating in the bacta was oddly soothing even if the breathing tube was awkward and rather uncomfortable. Of course just having Severus nearby and relatively unconcerned helped as well. It was something he was _not_ yet willing to look at though even as he was pulled from the bacta tank two hours after waking on a panic. Obi-Wan and the Skywalker clan had joined Severus and was there to greet him once he was cleaned off and set up on an exam table for one last check.

"Well that is a surprise," the doctor muttered as he double checked his findings.

"What is?" Luke asked curiously.

"The bacta dip was more beneficial than anticipated," the doctor told them.

"You did point out that it might be beneficial for other reasons than just healing the incisions which would have only needed some bacta patches which is much cheaper and almost as effective over a full immersion of the injured area," Luke pointed out with a frown.

"I did indeed," the doctor agreed. "Combined with the concentrated nutrient drip it can help with his malnutrition and bone density being slightly on the low side. His lungs are damaged but there was a surprising amount of healing for even that while we kept him in the bacta. Normally, the need to keep the patient from drowning in the bacta keeps it from being beneficial for any lung injuries as it isn't allowed access to the affected tissue. There is something about him that seemed to almost absorb and work _with_ the bacta beyond normal increased healing caused by the bacta its self."

"Any further treatment?" Anakin asked calmly.

"Just the diet and a few injections for immunizations and vitamin deficiency. Whatever happened in the bacta made the need for the breathing medications moot. The previous eye damage is healing naturally for some odd reason as he receives higher levels of vitamin A. If we double the vitamin dosage for a week or two they should have completely corrected themselves assuming the rate of healing continues apace. Light duty is fine but no hauling heavy equipment until his bones are a touch more sturdy and the re-breaks have finished healing with no tenderness," the doctor said absently as he went over Harry's medical chart on the linked medical pad. He soon wandered off after giving Harry his shots and the new diet plan.

They made their way as a group to the officer's mess, angling for lunch.

"Something is wrong," Harry murmured, frowning at the almost not there warning signs he had been picking up off of Severus. It was little things. He took a little more time with his eyes when automatically looking for threats. His nearness to Harry was just a touch closer than usual and his muscles had an unusual level of tenseness as if he were ready to fight or bolt.

"What?" Luke asked calmly. Harry ignored him as the possible problem dawned on him between seeing the man's tense muscles and the surrounding ship officers.

"Has someone been bothering you?" Harry demanded, his entire focus on the snarky Potions Master.

"If we were dealing only with magic I would have to say yes but at a distance," Severus admitted sourly. "I don't know enough about what the Force can do to say yes or no for it specifically. As for in the conventional fashion? No. The crew and officers have all been respectful now that we are free to roam some non-vital areas and the few romantic passes that were made took my refusal or tirade with little issue beyond some tears."

"Then what...?" Harry frowned.

"Dreams, Potter, someone has been encroaching on mine. I can recognize the touch of another's mind if you'll recall. The phantom touches when awake are more disconcerting however as I have no real defense against _those_ but Occluding before sleep works acceptably well against the foreign dreams," Severus admitted, his tone harsh. "They started shortly after you defended Luke and I have been... disinclined to dismiss them or share them as the nature of some of them has been somewhat risque."

Automatically, Severus' hand rubbed at his throat as he had felt the same ghost-like touch again but this time it was accompanied by a second feeling of cool silken metal on skin. He suddenly had difficulties swallowing his food and far away he heard an eerie laughter in his mind. Palpatine enjoyed the fear of his future pet, it didn't matter that he had realized something was wrong. The Potions Master wouldn't be able to escape his fate.

Severus looked up and instinctively froze. He could feel someone behind him, there yet not there and knew the figure was dressed all in black. Whoever it was reached around his head to mockingly lay a finger on his lips to keep him quiet before withdrawing the hand. The others watched with eyes darkened in concern, none but their small group able to see the figure. A figure that was very familiar to a tight lipped Anakin. The figure of the Emperor casually took a ghostly metal collar from a hidden satchel at his waist and used Severus' frozen shock to place the collar around his neck, locking it.

"Beautiful, now you are mine dear Severus" whispered a old brittle voice in his ear. The Emperor faded away along with the collar back into the force with high cruel laughter left bouncing in their ears and the fading phantom touch of metal on Severus' skin.

"Was that?!" Harry asked tightly.

"The Emperor," Obi-Wan agreed grimly. "Apparently, while he has allowed us to remain on the Executor in the care of his apprentice he has also taken a liking to Severus. I have no doubt that he will try to lay claim to him when we are finally summoned to explain the situation. I am uncertain why he allowed all of us but the Executor officers to see that little display but you can be certain it wasn't to put us at ease."

Severus closed his eyes in resignation as he took a deep, calming breath before opening his eyes again and speaking. "We knew this was possible. We just assumed he would focus on one of the others."

"We will help you as best we can," Obi-Wan promised quietly.

"You remember what we agreed before sending off Solo? This changes _nothing_ ," Severus declared harshly.

Harry's choking noise of denial was ignored. Luke and Leia watched them all cautiously, only half understanding what they had witnessed, one understanding the dangerous politics and the other the implied claim.

"And yet, it does," Anakin contradicted quietly. "I have the weakest claim on you and adopting you now or taking other similar action would simply put you in further danger as well as increasing the risk to the rest of us. We need to act as if nothing out of the ordinary has happened. He will summon us before long and make his wishes known. Until he acts beyond the Force based seduction attempt we can't do a kriffing thing."

The non-discretionary order to return to Imperial Center, once known as Coruscant, and report to the palace appeared the next day.


	11. To Bow to a Madman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is oversized and has mentions of possible rape. Make sure you have a cuddly blanket and the time to calm down after reading this because its time to face the Emperor!
> 
> Trickster32 this includes our palace scene in the second half but it is greatly modified from our original joint idea.
> 
> Enjoy!  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Executor was on its way back to Coruscant almost the moment the summons had arrived. A look passed between the two former Jedi had Obi-Wan collecting and distracting the twins plus Harry as Severus and Anakin stepped away for a private talk.

"I want you to adopt Potter," Severus declared flatly once they were alone. "Give him your protection."

"I can't do the same for you," Anakin warned. "His blatant attempt at claiming you is..."

"Is exactly what any covetous Dark Lord does when they see something they want," Severus finished, cutting the other man off. "I have lived through this before. What I want, no, what I _need_ is to know that Potter is safe. Perform whatever ritual that the desert bonding entails or something else equally binding but keep him _safe_."

"You love him," Anakin observed. Severus huffed but didn't deny it. "He doesn't know."

"I was one of his school teachers, _of course he doesn't know_! I went out of my way to make him hate me. It was largely a cover to try and avoid being seen as a spy and traitor to the Dark Lord while my official employment gave me access to him at school and the orders from the opposing _good_ madman. By the time I had realized that the hatred I felt for his father could no longer be aimed at him to help keep him safe I had gone and fallen in love with the blasted brat and been informed that I would have to send him to his death. With the way the command was issued the magics involved forced me to comply," Severus said with such deep self-loathing that Anakin wondered if he should be watching the man more closely for signs of self harm or at least personal neglect.

"Do those commands still hold?" Anakin asked in a softly dangerous tone, suddenly sensing a possible threat to his children.

"No, all outside influences but the life debt are gone and even that is greatly weakened to the point of being almost gone," Severus reluctantly admitted. "I have been using it as an excuse but Potter has been attempting chivalry in regards to myself and keeps trying to make the situation easier on me... when he doesn't rush off half cocked to try and save someone. At least with Luke he has a definite single target to be protective over. It has made things a great deal easier even with their combined knack for discovering and unraveling deadly mischief without even trying."

"Then what holds you?" Anakin asked suspiciously.

"My vow, my feelings, and the tattered remains of the life debt that would, at worst, give me a migraine rather than actually kill me over allowing him to die when I could have prevented it or killing him myself," Severus answered grimly.

"More than enough," Anakin sighed in agreement. "I had already planned to lay claim to him at some point but I can't until after the first meeting with Palpatine. Obi-Wan could technically get away with it but he would use Harry as leverage against Obi-Wan and torture him to death to make a point simply because he could. He would also make us watch."

"I understand," Severus sighed. "We will simply have to do the best we can with what we have when the time comes."

Anakin nodded and left the room, leaving Severus momentarily alone. In that moment the door lock activated before Severus could begin to move towards the door himself, locking him in the empty room. A room that didn't stay empty for long.

The cold chill of the Emperor manifesting a force projection crept along his spine even as he felt the metal collar from before reappear around his neck.

"Finally we are alone, my pet," Palpatine smirked as his ghost-like fingers embraced the stiffly frigid Potions Master.

Severus couldn't even blast the man with his acidic tongue as the collar prevented him from speaking against Palpatine's will.

"Listen closely, my pet. We will meet very soon on Coruscant and you will voluntarily stay with me. Unless, of course, you want the boy, whom you so desperately wanted to protect, to be killed for treason against the empire," Palpatine whispered in Severus' ear. "I have seen how close you two are. He is your weakness, my dear Severus. A weakness I can exploit as I see fit. Submit to me... or see him executed on the day of your arrival, my pet."

Severus bowed his head in defeat. He didn't have any other choice. He had sworn to protect Harry, no matter the cost. Yet it still hurt to know he was once more going to be at the mercy of a sadistic lunatic.

"Be good, my pet. I will see you soon," Palpatine crooned in evil delight before fading away with the force projected collar. The last thing to happen was the door lock releasing to allow Anakin to grimly re-enter the room.

"What did he want?" Anakin demanded. He had sensed what was going on the moment the door locked and had waited impatiently outside to check on Severus once the Emperor had withdrawn.

"A warning and a threat against Harry. I submit to him as his pet or Harry dies before the audience is over," Severus said in a monotone. "Executed for treason against the Empire."

" _Kriffing hells_!" Anakin swore as he started to pace in agitation, unconsciously guarding the doorway and keeping Severus pinned protectively in the room.

"Might I remind you this is not the first Dark Lord I have needed to serve," Severus said stiffly.

"And you think that's any better? If you must serve another Dark Lord at least _I_ won't use you like that," Anakin hissed, trying to keep his temper in check even as the dark side swirled around him, washing the room in flickering shadows of darkness. "If he does get you I won't let him keep any of you. The five of you are _mine_!"

Severus didn't contradict this possessive declaration but his eyes had shuttered as he tensed in wary concern.

"Oh don't look at me like that. I have no intention of hurting you and I would never force anyone to my bed regardless of what else I might do legally or how I might chose to act in your protection," Anakin said, waving off his obvious worry in irritation. "I have a temper but I've gotten better at keeping it under control despite any perceived betrayal. Its just been a while since I used the Jedi control techniques regularly. They are coming back surprisingly fast and most of them appear to work alright regardless of which aspect of the force I use. Something which was honestly my strongest concern when I first started using them again because of the emotion amplification effects of using the Force, more with the dark side than the light side."

"And would you restrict us if we chose to leave?" Severus asked lowly.

"Perhaps, it depends upon the situation and your reasons for leaving," Anakin admitted grudgingly. "I won't keep you prisoner without a damned good reason if that's what you are concerned about but there may be a point where you would be safer as my actual prisoners instead of reluctant guests. I honestly can't rule it out with what we potentially face."

"Fair enough," Severus agreed with a quiet grimace. He too had faced such potential requirements and needful actions in the fight against Voldemort. It was one of the reasons why he had worked so hard to make his dear friend's child hate him so much. Doing so, combined with other factors, kept him from being forced to kidnap Harry and bring him directly to the Dark Lord regardless of his position as one of the teachers. Severus might not like the potential risks and other obligations that could negatively affect them which came with serving a Dark Lord but he did understand it.

"Kenobi knew, even if he wouldn't admit it to himself," Severus said quietly after a moment's contemplation.

"Knew what?" Anakin asked curiously.

"Knew you would claim him and avoid letting him leave if possible," Severus clarified. "I could see it in his eyes when we first arrived. I was looking at him when I felt Harry cast the spell and saw the resignation as he felt your force presence when we appeared in the hanger, ship and all."

"Objections?" Anakin asked bristling a bit in anticipation of Severus using his sharp tongue on him.

"If you claim him... keep him. Make certain he understands that you care. Ensure he knows that it isn't out of only seeing him as a possession, a trophy, or an object," Severus instructed with an air of knowledge that reminded the Jedi turned Dark Lord that this man was a veteran at the game they played. Dark Lord service and wrangling wasn't exactly good for one's personal health after all.

"If I have my way he will know," Anakin smirked. "His shields are better than mine and he will be able to hide it from Palpatine if it becomes necessary. My children will as well once we make sure they and Harry can shield."

Harry entered the room, obviously looking for them only to narrow his eyes in suspicion at the way they looked so satisfied about something.

"Do I want to know or is this something related to being servants of Dark Lords that I will never understand?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"Never understand," Severus said promptly. Harry looked disgruntled but aside from fetching them he figured that he should just let the men have their secrets. They were fighting a Galactic Emperor/Sith Master/Dark Lord and Severus might need to know some things that the rest of them couldn't afford to be aware of. The three of them rejoined the others shortly as the group started ironing out the last pieces of their story.

Imperial Center was vast and a painfully familiar sight for the more well traveled half of the group as their air taxi took them through the massive traffic of the planet wide city, heading for the palace. They traveled mostly in silence, mentally going over their own roles.

Leia especially was worried as she remembered what Severus had told her.

> _** Flashback ** _
> 
> _"You are especially at risk. As a woman and your father's daughter as well as a major Rebel leader he will seek to not only control but actually use you whether you wish to cooperate or not. Being that Vader is your biological father you also have the potential to have strong force abilities even if they are mostly still dormant. The real danger though is if he decides to marry you off or simply order that you must produce as many children as possible with a range of partners," Severus warned her harshly after getting them alone. "You_ cannot _draw attention to yourself, no matter how appalling his suggestions or orders. Anakin is essentially a slave without being given the courtesy of actually calling him one. Until we kill Palpatine that will remain true. His ability to protect the rest of us, however little that may be, is dependent on his obedience to his master and how much trouble we openly cause."_
> 
> _"Harry won't stay quiet, why should I?" Leia demanded stubbornly._
> 
> _"Because Harry, fool that he is, is more likely to only be beaten or tortured._ You _are more vulnerable to being_ raped _in front of us for the Emperor's sick pleasure as part of the punishment!" Severus hissed furiously. "Undermining your father as Lord Vader is the absolute_ last _thing we need. There are a great many worse things than death and Palpatine, Sith Master that he is, will delight in using them on top of getting a slight power boost from the victims emotions. I have no doubt that he will force Anakin to claim Kenobi in_ all _ways if Obi-Wan is to survive, including in bed. We are trying to keep that from happening under someone else for you and Luke."_
> 
> _"I understand," Leia said faintly._
> 
> _** End Flashback ** _

  
"He turned the temple into the palace?" Obi-Wan whispered in pure horror, breaking Leia from her reverie as they finally came into view of the palace.

"He finished the remodeling after about five years," Anakin grunted his agreement and distaste at the desecration of the building that had once been the home of the Jedi Order. He still believed that the order was wrong and that they had been brainwashing every member of the order for generations. Then there was the matter that legally the Jedi Council unilaterally attacking the Chancellor with the intent of assassination was treason during war time.

Anakin could only hope that he could talk the Emperor into letting him keep his little family, wizards and former master included, regardless of the official status each of them might hold by the end of this.

It was clear they were expected with how fast they were ushered into what had become the throne room and Palpatine's presence. The lack of anyone else aside from the Royal Guards though proved this was a private audience but the placement in the public throne room pointedly indicated that this was not going to be a pleasant conversation.

"Report," Palpatine rapped out as they arrived at the foot of the dais and knelt.

Anakin, head bowed, still kneeling at the feet of a madman started to talk.

They explained the situation with a heavy emphasis on not knowing whether the wizard's magic was in fact the force or something else. Anakin had previously vetoed trying to hide it or pretend that their abilities didn't exist. The idea of using magic to hide the information was shot down because of the potential truth that magic was simply an aspect of the Force or a similar energy form combined with the potential punishment that would be doled out for trying. Palpatine had, after all, been spying on them using both the force and more conventional means. Potentially hiding it was also complicated by the fact that the magic was binding Harry to Luke. It helped that Harry and Severus were literally the only known beings in the galaxy to actually have any knowledge about the magic and its capabilities as well as restrictions.

The group waited with baited breath to see if their explanation would be accepted or they would be punished for causing the Emperor displeasure in some form. They had been allowed to stand at some point during the explanation and now stood awaiting judgement.

Palpatine let his eyes wander over the group, especially the two strangers, supposedly bodyguards/servants of the young Skywalker for repaying a life debt, as his own student had explained to him. He didn't like that he had to change his plans. Padme had birthed two children, not the anticipated single babe. Was his grip on his young student even strong enough that he could use the nearly grown twins as leverage against Vader? And how should he handle the two strangers. He had already decided he wanted the elder of the two for a pet while watching them through the force and yet... they could become a threat through young Luke if he wasn't careful.

Obi-Wan as slave for Vader though... The idea appealed and was an extremely amusing fate for the proud Jedi, brought low to serve at the feet of his former apprentice. Yes, Palpatine remembered the sexual attraction between Padawan and Master even if Anakin had never understood it and Kenobi had dutifully ignored it. Something he would have to change as a simple matter of additional leverage on the both of them without risking his twin potential apprentices.

A cold smile was visible on Palpatine's twisted features under the hood of his cloak as he carefully constructed his response to the fantastical explanation he had been presented with by his current apprentice. An explanation that rang with half truths and incomplete information for all that the results, especially the healing of Vader, were quite pleasing to his old eyes. He was rather enjoying the dance and planned to still get what he wished no matter the out come of the duel of words they were engaged in.

"What an unexpected reunion, my trusted student. How beneficial for our cause that you have found each other once again. We will use this to end the rebellion once and for all. To achieve this, we will explain how the rebels abducted your pregnant wife, which in turn led to her death during childbirth, and then hid the children from you even as they sent the remaining the Jedi to kill you," Palpatine said evilly.

None of the group said a word.

Palpatine smirked triumphantly, before he added to his earlier pronouncement. "As a sign of your goodwill, young Skywalker, you will transfer one of your bodyguard to me as a new pet. The older of them will suit me just fine. Unless, of course, any of you want to reject my kind offer?"

Harry had looked at the emperor in terror. He may not have any vast knowledge about slavery or magic but he knew that a Master could do practically anything to his pet, should he wish to. However, he also knew only too well how stubborn Severus was - and Severus would never accept it. Harry would need to trade places with him - wait, when had he start to call his former professor Severus in his mind?!

Before any of them had the chance to refuse the appalling offer Severus was already kneeling submissively on the floor at the twisted man's feet in the universal gesture of acknowledgement from a slave/pet to his Master. Severus had sworn to do anything to protect Potter. Although, he had thought that he had escaped _this_ particular fate it seemed that his luck was finally running out.

"I am sorry to counter my master's father's words sir but Severus is mine in a way, won through personal combat, and his last lord mistreated him badly. We thought it would be easier to simply say that we both belonged to Master Luke. I apologize for the misunderstanding, the fault was mine. Severus please get up, you don't have to trade yourself for me," Harry said carefully. Pointing out the mistake was a grave risk but Severus had already had to live through this twice and Harry refused to be the reason he was forced to do so a third time.

"If you think I'll let you..." Severus started to snarl only to choke on nothing for a moment before subsiding, abruptly ending the conversation.

"How amusing," Palpatine smirked, eyes glittering maliciously. "Yes, that does make more sense."

Rising and stepping closer to Severus the Sith Lord's smirk turned truly malicious.

"You don't want your master ending up as my pet, do you?" Palpatine asked evilly.

"No, he is still a mere boy. I will take his place as you wished. I am also already used to it, despite the complete healing I recently underwent, otherwise his mother would find a way to return from the dead and kill us all," Severus replied quietly, head bowed submissively. Tossing in the bit about Lily was a feint to hide exactly how strong his feelings for Harry actually were while still explaining the extremes he was going to for Harry's protection.

"I do not like to bed teenagers even if they are easier to break in. The rest of you will stay the whole week in the palace as a sign of your goodwill and I will give you a chance, young man, to free your servant. A mission, which I wouldn't let just anyone attempt. You may even take my most loyal student and his son with you as your personal support," Palpatine announced. A nod to two of his elite red guard signaled them to grab Severus and bring him directly to the personal lab of the Emperor.

"Enjoy your stay while I will take a closer look at my new property!" Palpatine laughed, as he followed after Severus and his escort, dismissing the rest of them.

"Wait!" Harry called out only to be dragged back by Luke as the blond hissed warnings into his ear, consequently keeping him from being hit by Sith lightning as punishment. Leia quietly fumed in horrified frustration, held back only by Severus' own earlier warning to keep as quiet as possible during the meeting.

Unlike Leia or Harry both Luke and Anakin had seen this sort of thing before on Tattooine, just as Obi-Wan had seen it on not only Tattooine but also past missions. They knew that trying to change it without some sort of valuable alternative for Palpatine was hopeless and would only get the rest of them punished while making it worse for Severus for attempting to protect him. They had one last bargaining chip and only Obi-Wan knew it for what it was.

"What if we could give you Yoda?" Obi-Wan asked quickly before they managed to actually leave the room, stopping the ancient Sith Lord in his tracks. The guards, sensing the change, obediently stopped and waited for further orders.

"I am listening," Palpatine said, giving Obi-Wan a keenly interested look.

"I know where Yoda is but..." Obi-Wan hesitated, not even bothering to try and conceal his conflicting feelings over handing over the Jedi Grandmaster even if he knew that Yoda would accept it, especially if he was informed of the full situation.

"Obi-Wan," Anakin said warningly, stepping to the other man's side and wrapping his fingers around the back of the other man's neck. Kenobi closed his eyes, visibly fighting with himself before capitulating to Anakin's unspoken command that was actually quiet support.

"Dagobah, he's on Dagobah, waiting for me to obey his order to deliver the twins to him for training... issued when they were five," Obi-Wan admitted, slumping in open defeat.

Palpatine smirked as he considered the options. Yoda would be disgusted by the betrayal of his former Great-Grandpadawan but it could be used as a first test of their loyalty.

"It is a first step on the correct path, slave. However, why should I trust you? What do you want to hide so desperately?" Palpatine inquired with open suspicion.

"Master, I discovered when he was captured and I interrogated him that he was willing to betray his vows for me long before I was Knighted," Anakin explained. His hand was still on the back of Obi-Wan's neck as misery bled off the ginger haired man in waves. "I was still a part of the order until the council came after you and as such he had no conflict of interest until then. He tried to warn me during our duel on Mustifar and prevent my original injuries but I was lost in the dark current, unable to hear him. When he left he thought I was dead and proceeded to try to protect my children as he could no longer protect me. Yoda interfered with that and kept him from realizing I had survived until after the completion of the palace refurbishment. At which point he could not safely retrieve or return my children and surrender himself to me."

"Betrayal," Palpatine concluded in an _ah ha_ tone. "Not protection or at least not protection for those who have already failed you and your new master so spectacularly. Very good slave."

"Master Qui-Gon gave me the order to always put Anakin first after I promised to train him. Anakin's mind scan found compulsions in my mind. Compulsions which made me more obedient to the Jedi Council and reduced any protection I might have given Anakin," Obi-Wan answered the implied question of another _why?_ in continued misery. This part was actually true and Anakin had raged for a good hour after finding the traces of mental manipulation lodged firmly among the remembered grief of Qui-Gon's death. Ripping away the discovered mindblock though set him off in a rage for five hours and had him crushing a great many nearby asteroids with the force to avoid taking it out on the Executor's crew.

"Apparently you all need to be checked," Palpatine frowned in true concern over a possible security threat. "If the Jedi Council went _that_ far on one of its own... I had not thought to check my apprentice and the rest of you haven't been in my service anywhere near as long. Such direct tampering should only ever be applied to those who aren't of proper use, tools if you will. Properly earned loyalty and service can overcome such tampering and more thus it is only useful when dealing with something you plan to destroy or throw away immediately afterwards."

"What if... Dumbledore?" Harry asked Severus, each still restrained by their respective groups.

"He would have done it," Severus agreed, eyes closed in pained acceptance of such a truth. "He was willing to have you killed as an eleven year old on the _possibility_ that you proved true in the forest and overcame through your damnable and impossible luck. It would also explain, aside from his constant reminders about your father, my own unreasonable hateful actions against you before his death. The Dark Lord favored fear and pain to control people or, more rarely, the Imperius. His slipping sanity reduced his mind probes to heavy handed blows over Dumbledore's delicate sliding touch. It is possible, even likely, he did the same to both of us. After all we weren't exactly expected to survive that mess."

"What would he have used?" Harry asked, getting paler with every passing moment as the implications set in.

"Probably the tea. I always refused the lemon drops but Dumbledore insisted on drinking at least one cup of tea with him during those meetings. He saw us as pawns so why should he have cared at all? Petunia wouldn't risk her family for you, or anyone like us, as she couldn't even think of being able to defend them. The old coot knew it too. That would have painted a rather large target on their backs on top of whatever else the Dark Faction came up with to get to you. He probably laced your school letter with dark compulsions and I wouldn't put it past him to erect wards which fueled their darker sides, making your time in their care less than pleasant," Severus mused thoughtfully.

"Anything else?" Anakin inquired intently. Seeing that Harry was unable or unwilling to ask.

"Pettigrew had a reputation among the Death Eaters, something which I learned about only after the Dark Lord's return, he preyed on children and was quite handy with obliviation and petrifying charms. It is quite possible that he took a liking to the Weasley family due to their number of children, among other things. Ginerva was clearly left alone but she would have needed a mind healer after her long-term exposure to that damnable diary. The old coot clearly allowed the darkness to fester inside her even at the risk of the Dark Lord regaining control over her once again and calling her to his side as a new sleeper agent," Severus added after a short pause.

"Ginny... belonged to Dumbledore actually. I found out just before the aborted wedding that she had been both dosing me with Love potions and mixing a touch of poison into my drink every time she was close enough to do it. All of it was on his orders with the idea that to survive I had to have turned dark," Harry admitted looking down. "I'm immune to most of it because of the mix of basilisk venom and phoenix tears in my blood. Something no one but Ginny knew about and she only knew about the Phoenix tears because she watched them being applied. I'm betting she never thought there might be side effect from the venom and tears since she was eleven at the time. I insisted on waiting until we were married to actually sleep with her and she kept trying to seduce me. Thankfully, the wedding was canceled by one of her ex-boyfriends demanding satisfaction for an aborted baby."

"Basilisk venom!? How the hell did you survive that?! I thought you had found someway to drop the ceiling on the creature rather than getting yourself close enough to be _bitten_! Unless.... when were the tears applied and how?" Severus demanded. "The demand for satisfaction makes sense if she really did abort a baby. Our children are precious and there are a number of laws to protect them when possible. Dumbledore just flat out ignored most of them in regards to you and with his positions no one could gain say him."

"Directly to the site of the fang wound in under five minutes after the initial bite, applied by the Phoenix himself onto the open wound. There were at least three separate tears, all of which landed deep in the wound," Harry answered, puzzled. Severus just stared at him in shock.

"Your luck, apparently, strikes again judging by Severus' expression," Leia put in somewhat moodily, reminding everyone that she and Luke were there.

"What do you think would happen with a transfusion?" Luke mused aloud, covering for his sister's sudden need not to be ignored.

"It would either kill the recipient... or convey an incredibly strong poison resistance and possibly add a slight boost to normal healing," Severus declared firmly. "Death is the most likely outcome simply from the strength of the poison elements involved and the likelihood that the venom caused alterations to his blood its self. His blood may no longer be suitable for use in transfusions at all. Basilisks could kill with a glace and had the strongest known venom in existence. They were hunted down to what we thought was extinction on the grounds of their unnatural birth requirements and because of the overall lethality they displayed. If Potter at _any_ point faced one we apparently didn't get them all... or someone was insane enough to make one. Thankfully most texts detailing the process were long since destroyed."

"Let me guess, I should be very dead?" Harry sighed in resignation. Severus just nodded. "That specific Basilisk was close to a thousand years old, if not older, and utterly _insane_ any way."

"Sounds like both Anakin and Luke. Both of them have impossible luck and get into equally impossible situations," Obi-Wan grimaced. Anakin's hand on the back of his neck tightened slightly in warning but Kenobi was otherwise left alone. Neither commented on the basilisk adventure as they had plans to drag the entire thing out of both wizards later.

"Lord Vader, as I do not have time to check all of them myself I will leave the task, and the group, in your hands. Once that is complete bring me Yoda, alive if possible," Palpatine ordered, waving a hand to release Severus back into their custody. "Investigate the unusual properties of his blood while you are at it and see if you can retrieve any Basilisk DNA. I am _quite_ interested in the possibilities such a beast presents, and Lord Vader? Ensure they are dressed appropriately to their stations the next time you appear before me."

"It will be done, Master," Anakin agreed, roughly pulling Severus back towards them before allowing him to sprawl at the group's feet using the force. A slight pressure of warning with a touch of force use on the back of Severus' neck kept him down.

Palpatine nodded once before leaving for his own chambers and amusements elsewhere, dismissing the group in the process.

"Up!" Anakin ordered harshly, finally letting go of Obi-Wan's neck and leading the group out of the palace, away from the looming threat of the Emperor.

They didn't speak again beyond the absolute basics until they were safely back in hyperspace.

Like a dark cloud it was clear to them all that should they fail Severus would be back as a pet in Palpatine's custody and the tyrant would demand a complete medical history from all of them, with possibly more to come. Palpatine's power, which he had from the dark side of the force and that which he had torn from the Republic Senate piece by piece was immense. He could easily use the dark side alongside more conventional methods to track them and instruct someone else to act on his behalf.

Severus on the other hand knew he had to talk with Harry about a few facts. Facts which the younger man couldn't have known because of his muggle upbringing. Regardless, it was clear that the Boy-Who-Lived needed to know them before something could happen to either of them. After all Severus knew the other man desperately wanted a family of his own, he just didn't know that he could carry the baby himself if certain conditions were met. Something which would forever trap the pair of them at the Emperor's whim should it be discovered. He just hoped he got the chance to inform Harry before it was too late.


	12. To Ponder the Punishment of a Madman

"Why did he send us away without getting us checked?" Harry asked a few days after their close escape from the palace when everyone was gathered safely in the living room of the newly joint Skywalker quarters aboard the Executor.

"Because he knew that both Anakin and I have the skill to check everyone, even each other, and somewhat repair anything we find or at least remove any compulsions but not the skill needed to make it painless or do it all in one go," Obi-Wan grimaced. "Basically, he set us up to torture you all and each other until we are certain all of us are clean of any mental manipulations caused by outside forces."

"Something which could take _months_ with our current skill in the art on top of needing to complete my regular duties in the mean time," Anakin agreed moodily. "Its also probably why none of us were punished for what happened during the audience. At least he told us to fix it first _then_ go after Yoda."

"Months of torturing each other?! Bastard!" Harry cursed, glowering at a nearby bulkhead in place of the evil man himself.

"Dark Lord," Severus reminded him pointedly.

"You don't have to remind me," Harry sulked, more angry at the evil Emperor than anything else.

"He is likely already working on a strategy which will allow him to regain my custody once I am proven clean of outside threats," Severus muttered in annoyance, too used to dealing with the eccentricities of powerful madmen to do anything but scowl at the thought.

Harry starred at him in open horror. He hadn't even considered that Severus could be snatched away at anytime should Palpatine but wish it. Both had had to deal with power hungry maniacs and knew the dangers should they ever encounter another one such as Palpatine was proving to be.

"What?! Can't we do anything to stop him?" Harry demanded. He wasn't pleased with the threat to _his_ Severus. Wait, did he just claim the other man was his?! Harry considered the thought for a moment and resignedly admitted that he was fucked. There was no way that the Potions Master would ever let Harry claim him in any fashion, which automatically ruled out dating as well.

"Not really. As long as Palpatine hadn't shown his hand we can do nothing... openly at least," replied Severus calmly. "Aside from plotting to kill him as quickly and legally as possible we can only endure whatever else he happens to throw at us."

"Not entirely true but looked at from the surface, essentially correct," Obi-Wan pointed out. "Succeeding in giving him Yoda will buy us more time and leniency. Proving ourselves more useful in a capacity other than close viewing entertainment will also help."

"My claim on all of you either directly or through Luke also helps," Anakin put in firmly. "It isn't perfect by a long shot but it is definitely better than if someone else were attempting to protect you within the Empire now that you have Palpatine's attention."

"As we are safely in hyperspace shall we start on checking everyone?" Obi-Wan asked grimly. He was not looking forwards to the pain, causing it or receiving it.

"We will have to do each other first and make sure everyone gets appropriate rest between sessions. Kriff, this is going to take _months_ ," Anakin hissed in moody frustration.

"You will need to check me as well, preferably before the others, and show me what to look for. I am a master in the magical mind arts and knowing the differences on _both_ sides will be beneficial. Harry and some of the crew can be used to show you what the magical symptoms are as well as the differences between a magical target and a non-magical one. Although Harry will also need to remember not to automatically toss it off with that stubborn will of his," Severus pointed out, glowering playfully at his former student.

Harry just smirked impudently and didn't comment, his eyes heavy with his earlier realization yet he refused to burden Severus with the knowledge. Severus looked at him sharply, suspicion openly trying to pin down what had to be bothering his green-eyed imp before mentally filing it away to look at later.

"You can use me to check on a force sensitive," Luke offered immediately, distracting both wizards from their silent dance of glaces.

"Or I can just find one of the Inquisitors that need to die any way and we can avoid risking your necks," Anakin said dryly, a hint of steel in his voice. "We don't know the effect of magic being used directly on a force user, the life debt between the two of you not withstanding. If their magic is the Force or something different we need to know."

"Anakin, you and I should go first. Once we are cleared of any mental manipulations we can discuss magical tests and think about how to show Severus the Force placed manipulations. The mind trick is easy enough but the more permanent ones are something I don't want to inflict without great cause and would prefer to only show on someone we have to kill in any case," Obi-Wan pointed out with a sigh. "Once we can be certain that our minds are our own we can work on shielding for everyone and then the magic versus the Force. I can guarantee that Master Yoda isn't going anywhere, at least for now."

"I'll put up silencing charms," Severus said quietly as the two former Jedi got up to move into Anakin's bedroom for the first check.

"That would be much appreciated but we can't afford to. You can place it on the outside door so that those not in our quarters can't hear. If something goes wrong you need to know to come check on us. Equally, if Palpatine discovers that we were not witness in some fashion to each other's pain during this he will find a worse punishment," Obi-Wan said firmly.

"So we have to listen to the screams unless we want him to pull something else on top of it," Harry said with a pained voice.

"Stay together and don't be afraid to take or give comfort to each other," Anakin instructed as they left.

Less than five minutes and a set of cast spells later the screaming started.

Luke and Leia curled up together on one couch while Harry and Severus did so on another. Not a word was spoken until the screaming stopped and the pair of exhausted ex-Jedi rejoined them an hour later, slumping into a third couch.

"I wonder if it will be as bad as getting hit with Snakeface's Crucio," Harry mused.

"Please don't joke about that," Severus groaned. "I had to develop a special potion to deal with the aftermath. With this I'm hoping it just creates the migraines afterwards instead of the raw nerve endings across the body of a crucio. It would at least be similar to the results of a Legilimancey assault and thus _far_ preferable to the damage caused by repeated crucios."

"Point," Harry agreed with a wince. He had experienced both, one from Snape and the other from Voldemort, neither had been fun.

"We lucked out. I found most of the stuff the last time and removed most of them. This was the last one," Anakin said tiredly.

"We will have to tell your Admiral or a trusted officer when we work on you to avoid... accidents and misunderstandings," Obi-Wan said, just as tired as the other man.

"We are _not_ doing that for more than an hour on anyone and only once a day at maximum even if we find we have to do an emergency push. I would prefer to limit sessions to once a week if only to let everyone recover between sessions," Anakin said firmly. "The only exception is me because we can't afford for me to be out of commission mentally for as long as it might take otherwise. I either have to be completely clean or untouched."

"Agreed, though I hate the idea of having to push through all of it inside a twenty-four hour period or less. At least we will have the luxury of a recovery period," Obi-Wan said wryly. "I would also recommend limiting it to the ship actually being in hyperspace as an extra security precaution."

"Agreed," Anakin sighed.

Supper was a quiet affair, taken together as a family in their rooms as they accepted and gave quiet comfort to each other.


	13. Nightmares and Night Visits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The dream sequence is _not_ happening so feel free to ignore any implications from it. Enjoy!  
>  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry fell into slumber that first night cycle, restless and upset over the unspoken punishment that was also obviously part of fixing actual security risks.

The lands of dreams within the mind quickly pulled Harry in like quicksand, drawing him into a nightmare.

 

> _  
> ** Dream Begins ** _
> 
> _Harry watched from behind a wall of crystal clear glass nearly a foot thick as Severus was dragged into the sterile lab that had formed on the other side._
> 
> _The proud Potions Master was being forced to strip down to naked skin. His wand was already in the hands of Palpatine's scientists who had in turn put the wand in a jeweled case marked with the symbol of the Emperor, locked to only Palpatine's signature. Rough hands laid Severus out on the cold metal slab of the lab table, binding him tight with the restraints already attached to the cold steel. Using his mind shields to win a bit of distance Severus had almost managed to block it all out until Palpatine used Force Lighting to shock him to the core, dragging a grunt of pain from the lips of the former spy and briefly dancing across the metal before dissipating into the ground linked to the table for just such a purpose._
> 
> _"This will be your only warning pet! I do not think that a repeat will be necessary. Don't you agree?" the tyrant laughed._
> 
> _Severus just breathed raggedly trying not to let the lingering pain from the lightning affect him._
> 
> _"Maybe we should talk about the rules first, or should I proceed with your punishment?" Palpatine mused thoughtfully, enjoying the sight of his prize so restrained and at his mercy._
> 
> _"What sort of rules, Master?" Severus inquired warily. He knew the dangers of breaking even unspoken rules when it came to serving madmen._
> 
> _"No need to worry, they are quite simple," Palpatine said pleasantly before listing them for his new pet._
> 
> _"1) You will not kept any secrets from me, to ensure this we will use a special drug that will become a part of your bloodstream, pet. 2) You aren't allowed to talk with anyone, especially not with your former Master, without my explicit permission. 3) You aren't allowed to leave my side without a very good reason for more than 5 minutes. 4) You will be prepared for my use at anytime or you will pay the price for it, pet. 5) You will never lie to me or try to omit anything. Should you do so I will use one of my own created drugs to turn your ex-master and young Skywalker into mindless rapists before leaving them together with the Princess. 6) You will only be allowed food that I have handed to you. During the meals you will be either sitting in my lap or kneeling behind my chair. 7) Your release belongs to me, pet. Never forget it! As long as you follow my rules, nothing will happen to you," Palpatine smirked evilly._
> 
> _Harry was forced to watch the dream in a mix of outrage and horror, trapped behind the wall of glass, as the Emperor followed through on his threats. Severus fought back as best he could but by the time Harry woke, instinctively muffling his screams in the bedding, the proud Potions Master was collapsed from the pain and the "Experiments" unable to defend himself and completely at Palpatine's non-existent mercy._
> 
> _** Dream Ends ** _

  
"Harry? Harry!" Severus called, waking the smaller wizard who was shaking uncontrollably and whimpering in his sleep.

Severus had set an alert charm that would inform him if Harry had a nightmare during the night so that they could more safely sleep in the same bed. During their time on the Falcon they had discovered that the nightmares of both wizards decreased if they slept in the same bed, putting Severus' original stubbornness to good use, and they had both consistently woken up better rested. Thus when Harry got one look at Severus, whole, healthy, and in reach he was launching himself at the other man and clutching him close.

"Now then what is all this?" Severus asked with soft concern.

"Palpatine won't touch you!" Harry declared fiercely, fire in his eyes as he kept Severus close.

"That isn't something we may have a choice with," Severus sighed, wrapping his own arms around Harry's shivering form. Harry growled wordlessly but didn't repeat himself.

Palpatine smirked as he manifested in front of the two wizards. The collar arrived around Severus' neck at the same time, sending a chill down the Potion Master's back.

"That's right my pet. You _don't_ have a choice," Palpatine said evilly. Eyeing how the two were holding one another he made a decision to be generous. "Your little master is young but obviously unskilled in the bedroom. Perhaps allowing you to train him to your personal tastes may be a worthwhile reward for later. Then again if Lord Vader is unwilling to use his slave appropriately I doubt that his son will have proper use for either of you, though he might be a bit young to want a bed partner. Once Kenobi and Vader have checked each other ensure that the two of you are next. We can begin training sessions for him after any mind traps are removed from the pair of you."

"The life debt might screw with that plan... majesty," Harry pointed out cautiously.

"And what precisely cancels such a debt?" Palpatine asked archly. "I gathered that my pet owes one to you in addition to your win of his person via personal combat."

"I... don't actually know," Harry admitted, looking away from the Force projection.

"How little were you actually _taught_ about our culture?" Severus asked Harry as he ground his teeth in a cross between barely contained fury and frustration.

"Well I wasn't exactly supposed to live now was I?" Harry reminded him humorlessly.

"Many of our customs are based around how the magic reacts in certain situations. Not informing you of those problems is tantamount to setting you up for _suicide_ ," Severus seethed as he dragged Harry halfway into his lap.

"Oh?" Palpatine asked, eyes narrowed in interest.

"Should I simply write a report for you my lord?" Severus asked carefully blank for all that his hold on Harry never loosened.

"Yes, that would be wise. If nothing else it would allow me to better understand if you get caught in such a trap and reduce any punishment as it would not be your fault," Palpatine conceded grudgingly. "For now explain the life debt."

"The magic of the debt creates the binding and its effects vary from person to person, bond to bond, and as a result each have different release qualifications. One thing which has been definitively proven however is that making the debtor and debt holder family in some fashion satisfies the debt for there can be no true debts between family," Severus summarized carefully. "My own situation is a bit more complicated than simply owing the imp a life debt because of other factors involved which will take more time than we have and a great deal of other, now useless, background to even partly explain. Suffice it to say that my own life debt to Harry is nearly complete but other parts which resulted in the situations that were caused by paying it created other bonds between us that have yet to fully form. Making one another family was not feasible at the time that the lack of debt would have been most useful but equally its presence was used as insurance against the pair of us, largely through me. The magic of the bond will reject the adoption or marriage or other form of family bonding and punish both sides if the action is not sincere and the participants truly become family in the selected fashion. The debt does not influence feelings, memories, or reactions beyond the need to pay it back appropriately. Punishment from the debt for failing even in part manifests as pain and/or death via the magic."

"Which is why this went unresolved before you appeared before me," Palpatine tsked. "Are the other cultural restriction linked to actual magic function of a similar complexity?"

"Yes," Severus admitted. "It will take me months to lay down even a part of the most vital things in the report and if Harry didn't know something so basic and simple as the life debts he won't know the others either. He needs to be taught for more than just his own sake."

"Elaborate," Palpatine demanded with a frown.

"It seems as if his _magical_ guardian had neglected his legal duties in this regard and this will now need to be rectified, Master," Severus answered, embarrassed. "Our magic, if left untrained, can be dangerous to not only our surroundings but to our selves as well. Minimal training or a binding on the magic is necessary to prevent disaster of varying levels which are dependent on the witch or wizard's magical connection. All of this is also part of needing to teach Harry the cultural strictures."

"Why would he do this, pet?" Palpatine asked as he glared at both wizards, who still hadn't let go of each other.

Harry replied instead of Severus, trying to keep his temper in check.

"The last 3 wars were his fault, your Majesty. He had planned to set me up to die so that he would be the sole benefactor of the huge fortune, by local standards, of my family and my godfather's. A man that was supposed to raise me which he had imprisoned without cause and who had claimed me as his heir. Dumbledore created situations that would put me in danger while feeding my building arrogance in regards to my skills," Harry admitted. "At the same time he poisoned my mind and the minds of my friends, friends he had largely selected for me, against certain students and professors. This was especially true against Severus, who was the only professor which treated us like the children we were. As it was that man cost me most of my family fortune and decimated our part of the magical community, small by even planetary standards in the first place not even reaching a full million people out of nearly seven billion overall. We are somewhat rare compared to the standard humans who fill the rest of our home planet."

"Harry?" Severus asked in surprise.

"He was Grindelwald's lover and made sure Voldemort got the ritual book to split his soul when he was 16," Harry told him moodily.

"I killed him too quickly," Severus said darkly. Pleasing and amusing Palpatine.

Harry looked towards Severus in open surprise. He had known that Severus had a darker side and had once been a Death Eater but this outburst contained more rage than Harry expected. A look out of the corner of his eye had him realizing how much this reaction pleased the Emperor, scaring Harry. He had the feeling that he would lose the Potions Master to the dark dictator if anything else was fed Severus' dark side.

Using the force the Emperor separated them without Severus ever realizing it for in that moment he had been violently thrown back into his memories of the past.

"I should have made him suffer instead of alleviating his pain from the cursed ring. He wanted my godson to became a murderer before he even became a man just because Draco wanted us to honor our own culture only Dumbledore _refused_ to allow it. He would have betrayed us to the Muggles, those which would eradicate us all, just because he couldn't accept that he was wrong. I should have amputated his arm, force feeding him the draught of living death and then sent his body directly to the Dark Lord," Severus muttered darkly as he got up and paced around the room.

"He demanded a vow even as he saw that I was full of grief over the loss of your mother. A vow that I would protect you with my life even while he had already planned your death. A vow that could cost me either my magic or my life should your caretakers have killed you before you were old enough for our school. He endangered the school with his harebrained schemes, luring the Dark Lord back to the school, to hunt for a rare relic, one which promised eternal life, and then he allowed _first years_ to try the gauntlet meant to protect it. The old coot forced me to change my part of the trap just so that you alone could have properly overcome it and face the Dark Lord. He sent you without any help in to the Dark Forest, a Forest where you could be easily killed by your own inexperience and stupidity. He hired a spineless werewolf, who forgets to take his potion, and could have either infected, raped, or even killed you during the full moon," Severus ranted, giving into his darker side for the first time in years. His magic flared and dropped the temperature of the room like a stone.

Palpatine smiled. This was it, his pet was so close to the abyss. It would be so very easy to seduce him and then to claim him. His pet would never escape him or the dark side.

Harry looked fearfully at his companion, this wasn't good...

The remnants of the life debt sang out in Severus' core warning him that he was becoming a potential threat to Harry and jerking him up short even as his body moved to cover Harry protectively without his conscious thought.

Palpatine frowned. He knew this was the nearly gone debt at work. If this was what a nearly dissolved form did than what would the full form which lay between Harry and Luke do?

The debts had to be nullified before any further progress was made. The vow of protection to the other wizard would also need to be addressed and possibly nullified.

With a wordless hiss of anger the Emperor disappeared, taking the force projected collar with him.

Severus curled more firmly around Harry as he mentally rewound and watched his own reactions in a sort of numb horror. The only thing that kept him sane was the petite body sheltered beneath his larger bulk, still breathing and warm. They sat there wrapped in each other's arms, listening to the heartbeat of the other wizard, until breakfast the next morning.


	14. Breakfast Debate

Anakin took one look at them when he came to fetch them for breakfast and knew something was wrong.

"What happened?" the Jedi turned Dark Lord of the Sith demanded.

"The Emperor visited... Severus almost fell," Harry said quietly when it was clear the older wizard wasn't going to say anything. He didn't want to be talking so he used the terms which he knew Anakin would understand without further explanation.

"The life debt isn't fully gone and it almost wasn't enough to stop me," Severus said painfully.

"You've already decided how to fix that," Anakin said with absolute certainty.

Severus swallowed hard and nodded even as he kept Harry protectively underneath him, sheltered from the rest of the universe.

"Will you trust us to guard him enough to get some food into both of you?" Anakin asked carefully.

In silence Severus forced himself to expose Harry to the rest of the room as they got ready for the day in silence before attending breakfast in the joint common.

All of them except Anakin were still wearing the plain grey jumpsuits for the most part. Lord Vader had swapped from his life support suit, as it was no longer actually needed, to an Imperial officer's uniform with his long black capes on top and black gloves covering his hands. The first time someone had thought he was an imposter Anakin had put them down _hard_. The only good thing was that it had grudgingly allowed Peitt to start quietly circulating that the life support suit was no longer present because he had finally healed enough from his original nearly fatal injuries at the time of the Republic's fall.

"What happened?" Obi-Wan asked in a low voice, eyes glittering in anger on their behalf even as his face remained mostly blank.

Severus didn't say anything, manhandling a willing Harry into a seat and keeping the smaller wizard tucked into his side once sitting down with both chairs touching. The Emperor knew to go after Harry to make him comply so he saw no reason to hide his protective streak after what had happened during the night.

"Mustifar without the duel and injuries or close enough to it except that Severus was stronger than me," Anakin said bluntly, making the ginger haired Jedi Master wince in sympathy and concern. Neither of them had escaped Mustifar without wounds even if Obi-Wan's hadn't been physical.

"What?" Luke asked, displaying his own concern.

"The Emperor visited last night and tried to turn Severus," Harry said shortly. Both twins paled and didn't ask again.

"Perhaps you should have let me fall," Severus muttered darkly. "Then you could have killed me and removed the danger."

"That is defeat talking," Obi-Wan said pointing his fork at him in a no nonsense manner. "Falling won't help anything."

"He wants Severus but I was promised to him and the left over magic of the life debt bond kept him from hurting me," Harry said thoughtfully, eyes narrowed in consideration. The sentence he finished with was full of steel. "Besides, we aren't going to kill you even if you do fall."

"Harry unless you happen to be a virgin, which I highly doubt considering the risks of maintaining such a status when fighting a magical Dark Lord, allowing me to fall and not killing me on the spot is the height of stupidity. No, we can't intentionally establish a new life debt and I don't see another way to protect any of you from me if I return to being dark or fully submit to the Emperor's control," Severus said dryly. "Besides even if you were a virgin we would need to create a bond that would be based on sex magic and it would have to be permanent. You would never be rid of me."

"Can it be performed by non-wizards?" Anakin asked casually, his dark eyes aimed at Obi-Wan as he metaphorically licked his chops. Obi-Wan noticed the lazy predatory smile that graced Anakins lips and barely suppressed his own shudder of want as he pointedly turned back to his breakfast.

"Possibly, considering how old some of the potential rituals are," Severus admitted, understanding the real question without need for words. "The resultant binding might be different depending on certain factors but you seem pure human as far as the required standards go and then there are the ones that only require the involved species to be sentient rather than human. I would have to sit down and consider what we had and what was wanted in the bond."

"And if I were a virgin?" Harry asked calmly, causing Severus to choke on his water, splutter a bit before properly swallowing, and then he just stared at Harry in shocked disbelief.

"Can I just go back to the Alliance with Han when he catches up with us? I feel like more of a liability than anything else and I've always been safe among the rebels," Leia asked carefully.

"I might be able to talk Palpatine into allowing it so that you don't simply get executed upon re-capture," Anakin grimaced. "We would need a _very_ good story however and I would want you to have bodyguards. I've been fighting them since the start and I don't trust them with your safety. The Princess of Alderaan? Yes. My daughter with them having full knowledge that you are in fact my daughter? Not so much."

"One of your children he might let go, not both," Obi-Wan cautioned. "Neither will be allowed to leave until the one leaving is checked. He was deadly serious about that."

"I'll com him the next time we hit real space. If we do this right we can probably convince him to fold them back into the Empire or at least put them under me as an irregular part of the Imperial Navy," Anakin sighed. "Giving Leia an actual official job will also limit what he can do to use her against us or herself. Right now he's waiting for an excuse, which he doesn't really need, to execute her or force her under his full control for use later. He hasn't done anything yet because he has been focused on Severus and on the possibility that we can actually bring him Yoda."

"A diplomatic envoy is still a good idea either way," Leia pointed out, eyebrows arched in polite disbelief at what she was hearing.

"Should I believe that you would be willing to lose your virginity to someone like me? An act that could very well impregnate you with my child, imp?" Severus asked disbelievingly, finally having regained enough equilibrium to respond to Harry's earlier return volley. "Make no mistake if you offer I _will_ accept and do everything in my power to never let you go."

The whole group looked at him like deer in a headlight, entirely floored by the idea.

"Even if this would protect you and any potential offspring it would only give him more leverage as I would rather go back to him and be his _good little pet_ than to risk any of you," Severus sneered the words _good little pet_. "Besides, I'm not worth the trouble."

Harry looked at him, sure he had known that Severus had insecurities, he had to battle his own daily, but this was unexpected. Learning that they could not only have sex but even having children made him want it all the more. He wouldn't mind carrying Severus' children but he couldn't deny that he would find it sexy seeing Severus swollen with their baby. The problem either way would be Severus' own history in that department and his preferences. If Harry could convince him to start a proper relationship with scrawny hated Potter would the other man want to top or trust him enough to bottom? A problem for another time.

"As she said Leia could go back to the alliance. We could use her experience as a diplomatic ambassador and for researching their archives for lost and forbidden knowledge. It would be a sign of goodwill and might help to convince the rebels that we are at least somewhat trustworthy despite my reputation as Vader," Anakin mused, still studying Severus warily. He knew from personal experience how hard it was to battle your own darkness.

Harry stretched his neck up to shyly kiss the other wizard under his chin before returning to his breakfast.

"Bold little Gryffindor," Severus growled with low approval, tucking the smaller man even more firmly into his side. Both knew it was too soon after Palpatine's last visit to be jumping into things. "If you aren't _very_ careful I'll tuck you into my serpentine coils and you'll never escape."

Harry just hummed happily and ate his breakfast, not even bothering to squirm from being tucked in so close to the other man.

The rest of their group watched the exchange with amusement. It might not have been clear to the wizard pair until now but it had been clear to the rest of them that they were sweet on each other.

"Since we didn't stop for clothes I'll see what else the Quarter Master might have for all of you or see if we need to wait until the next inhabited system for a stop over," Anakin told them, moving the conversation along in a new direction.

"What did the Emperor mean by appropriate attire?" Luke asked curiously.

"Formal attire for the most part but I doubt that General Kenobi, Harry, or Severus will like what they are supposed to wear," Leia answered with a grimace.

"It keeps them safer," Anakin pointed out calmly.

"Its demeaning!" Leia shot back.

"Yet going without it was only fine this time because the Emperor hadn't confirmed the positions I was asking for to protect each of you and because we weren't given time to stop and shop," Anakin pointed out firmly. "I've seen the man kill for less."

"I know," Leia agreed miserably, the wind leaving her sails filled with righteous anger.

"Hey, Leia? How would you feel about father adopting Harry?" Luke asked, toying a bit with his fork and his food.

"When did this come up?" Leia asked, narrow-eyed.

"When I mentioned the desert bonds before we visited the palace," Anakin answered casually. "The desert ritual is a form of adoption that Tattooine natives are very careful about using. There are others that have fewer connotations and requirements to them but they wouldn't let me give him the same protection or extend as much protection to the rest of the adopting family in return."

"Palpatine is from Naboo, would he even honor the adoption?" Obi-Wan pointed out with a frown.

"If he doesn't than he would be forsworn and I would be obligated to kill him," Anakin said with evil glee, his eyes glowing with dark side power. "To be forsworn in such a powerful position among those of Tattooine..."

"... is a death sentence for they become a threat to one and all. Somehow the entire planet would know in the same moment that you knew so that even if you fell another could take your place and destroy the threat," Obi-Wan finished. He remembered the half heard tale that he had been subjected to for over a month. It had been delivered by a range of beings from Sand People, to bounty hunters, to slaves, to merchants, to farmers. Not a single one of them could have known that he didn't know the tale or that it was being practically thrown at him for the full month until he actually sat down and listened to the whole thing. The Force had sang a counter point note every single time, throbbing... important, Important, IMPORTANT!

"The desert is jealous and she keeps her own," Luke agreed mysteriously.

"Can I see the adoption thing before I decide?" Harry asked uncertainly. "Presuming I get to choose if I get adopted at all."

"It would be rude to adopt you without checking that the rest of the family is okay with it. Sometimes an adoption on Tattooine that is done without asking the rest of the family results in an internal family blood feud. Its nothing against you just that you check with everyone who is going to be part of the adoption first, unless its an emergency or the defender qualifies for the Desert Bonds. The Desert Bonds isn't just a family adoption, its a bit more than that," Luke explained. "Harry qulaifies for the Desert Bonds but only father and I, plus possibly Ben probably know what that actually means. So we are being careful."

"Lets table all of that until I've at least gotten an answer on if we can send Leia off to the rebellion safely as a diplomatic envoy," Anakin suggested tiredly. When he commed Palpatine later with the idea it was granted on the condition that Anakin adopt Harry in all ways as his son. When the odd requirement was presented to the others the mixed sigh of annoyance and relief from the wizards told them who knew the reason _why_ the odd request.

"Becoming family by marriage or adoption, providing that you become family in _all_ ways, legally, emotionally, etc. using the selected method or path nullifies the life debt," Severus explained curtly. "It isn't really a feasible solution between myself and the Imp unless I marry him and even then it won't get rid of the vow of protection or a few other things between us. The Emperor is trying to minimize the number of magical bonds between those in our group. He's just making our connections stronger as the magic consolidates but I don't plan to tell him that, nor do I recommend anyone else do so either. The life debts were discussed in depth during his last late night visit."

It would be at least a few days until they worked out which adoption to use as Anakin officially filled out the Empire adoption paper work. Leia also agreed that before she left with Han for the alliance the next time they saw the smuggler she had to be checked for mental booby traps and taught basic mental shielding. Thus the week ended on a high note for the odd family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Further ideas (especially on the desert based adoption ritual) are greatly welcome!


	15. Clothes and Customs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning I had to split this in two. We just got lucky it had a good simple split point. Enjoy!  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"As much as I probably should be next, Leia needs to be cleared," Anakin said on the morning of the sixth day back in space. They hadn't been able to pick up much clothing wise during the last stop and the Falcon hadn't caught back up to the Executor yet. Even so the grey jump suits had mostly been replaced by plain black clothes for everyone except for a plain darker olive green set that went to Leia.

Severus had muttered something about needing to be able to tell their clothes apart and kidnapped Harry for a couple of hours before coming back with dark silver leaf and vine designs creeping along the edges of Harry's clothes with the occasional flash of dark red. Severus' had a similar motif but stuck mostly with dark green and flashes of the silver. Luke would later be kidnapped by the pair to have dark red-ish shadow outlines of sand dunes and cliffs added for his edging with brief flashes of blue at the collar and cuffs to match his eyes.

Leia would discover hours later that the two wizards had hit her with whatever cloth coloring spell work they were using when she wasn't looking. As a result she was dressed not in her dark olive green set of shirt and pants but instead clad in stunning shades of green giving the impression of forest leaves. Obi-Wan stubbornly dodged the pair until Anakin held him down with a smirk.

"While black isn't to my taste I _don't_ need magical embroidery!" Obi-Wan exclaimed as he was gently pinned in his seat by the smirking Dark Lord.

"Then its a good thing we aren't using magical embroidery," Harry smirked. "Its just a bit of transfiguration and color change. Its not hard but most people don't think of using it because tailors still exist and aren't that expensive unless you want some hard to work material to act as a sort of spell armor but also keep you comfortable in any weather. Its part of why we aren't really changing the colors a lot. We can but the dark tones will stick better since we started with black."

"It also reduces the raised eyebrows since its a subtle change for the most part and black hides stains well," Severus added. "Stains from failed potions and various ingredients are common when teaching hundreds of brats how to brew regardless of my own skill level. _I_ could have possibly gotten away with wearing white whenever I brewed but around hundreds of teenagers just learning? Not a chance in hell!"

"That explains so much," Harry murmured with a hidden grin.

"That's the reason I wear it, the stain thing. Before I got stuck on life support I would be tinkering with things all the time, which meant grease and other things that stain clothes easily," Anakin agreed, keeping Obi-Wan in his seat. "I learned early on to take care of my clothes since we couldn't just go to the market and get more whenever we needed to but equally black was a death sentence on Tattooine. You either wore white homespun, or something close to it, or you roasted alive. Cloaks are life savers while water is _vital_ and worth killing over. Dehydration and heat stroke are not nice ways to go."

"So, what do you want to see on Obi-Wan since he _clearly_ doesn't have an opinion?" Harry smirked evilly, brandishing his wand like an orchestra conductor preparing to start a performance.

"I can't let him wear Jedi robes even in jest as a cloth print," Anakin said with a thoughtful hum. "Can you do dragon scales? Or at least the line pattern for it on top of the black? Maybe with a chain pattern on the wrist cuffs? All in a dark bronze?"

"We haven't been bothering with anyone's pants except for Leia's but hers were a simple color shift between two shades of green that were almost the same any way. Did you want something along his legs?" Harry asked casually with an impish smirk aimed at the exasperated redhead who was still protesting good naturedly.

"I'm thinking more like an armored shirt for the over all pattern," Anakin clarified.

"That's simple enough," Severus agreed and cast the spells, imagining the final change in the cloth and edging the dark bronze towards almost black to make it easier.

The shirt itched and squirmed against Obi-Wan's skin for a split second before the sensation faded away back to normal. A quick look down showed the changes and made him sigh in rueful resignation as he looked over his new shirt. Though he had to admit, if only to himself, that it was quite fetching.

"You do realize that if I am to allow you to claim me fully that I will want to do the same in return?" Obi-Wan asked conversationally as he gestured at the very unsubtle light chain pattern atop his shirt cuffs.

By this point in time he was far too familiar with both Anakin himself and Tattooine culture to think that the other man wasn't serious even if he had thoughtfully kept any touching platonic for the most part unless invited. When he got pinned after the healing didn't count because Obi-Wan was a legitimate potential threat and the twins were only the next room over. The bedtime cuddling didn't count either since it happened on both sides whenever they fell asleep within easy reach, it always had.

"Good," Anakin practically purred in his ear, sending a shiver down his spine. "That means I don't have to stick to only touching when the Emperor or one of his people are nearby."

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan scolded in exasperation. Anakin just laughed and let the other man get up, smug with the knowledge that he could quit acting like they were just roommates when in private.

Obi-Wan would later wonder if admitting to the mutual want and ending the need for distance in private was such a good thing when Luke helped Anakin ambush him. The two of them ritually washing him with barely a single bucket of water and sharing an obviously special meal between the three of them told him that whatever this was it was a Tattooine tradition and important.

Obi-Wan felt the force warn him in sort of soft amused tone just before Luke landed against his back and pulled at his arms. Obi-Wan slipped free by letting his arms go back faster than how Luke was pulling only to also move forwards. He didn't expect Anakin to drop on him from above and flatten him to the floor.

"Gotcha," Luke said playfully as he grabbed Obi-Wan's hands in front of him.

"Remember the rope," Anakin said firmly as he got off the redhead, helping him to stand up again but not letting him slip away either.

"Do I want to know?" Obi-Wan asked dryly, eyebrow arching in a cross between question and amusement. Anakin's hand briefly wrapping around the back of his neck with a light squeeze sent a pleasant shiver down his back before he was getting marched down the deserted hallway near their quarters and right back into their rooms.

"I don't want to know," Severus declared after aiming an arched eyebrow of his own at the three clearly happy force users. He snagged Harry when the imp tried to follow behind them in curiosity. Leia took one look and rolled her eyes before turning back to her reading pad, clearly thinking _boys_.

Once the three were further in Luke took up station by the door, acting as lookout.

"Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked as he was untied very carefully.

"I'm sorry this has to be done under the slave rules for both our sakes," Anakin told him before kissing him deeply. A loudly cleared throat from an amused Luke had them separating nearly ten minutes later. Obi-Wan looked up, trying to catch his breath and realized that Luke had gathered two separate wash cloths, one for soap and one to wipe the soap away, along with a bucket of water.

"You can say no but..." Anakin held out a metal pendant carefully etched with the marriage markings of Tattooine. The pedant had holes in the top and bottom of its oval shape so that it could be worn as any number of things. He also had a selection of beads carrying the same symbols lying next to it in his palm in case Obi-Wan wanted it displayed in his hair rather than around his neck or on his wrist. "When I adopt Harry I want you to be his other parent along with that of the twins and... my partner."

"Oh Anakin," Obi-Wan breathed before looking into the other man's eyes. "Exactly how long have you been pining after me?"

"Aware that I was pining after you or actual pining?" Anakin asked cheekily. Obi-Wan clicked his tongue in gentle reproach but still accepted the gift as well as the proposal that came with it.

"Those of the families involved wash the same gender of the couple with a bucket of water as a ritual and practical cleansing. Since Leia is the only woman in our family, there is no bride, and she doesn't know the female end of all this Severus agreed to act as the unaffiliated family lookout and babysitter. I represent the rest of the family in this part and as I help wash you and we eat a meal together you are being officially welcomed into the family. When I leave you will be wed and the rest of us will traditionally distract the masters so that you can have alone time to cement your new personal bonds," Luke explained, not yet moving to grab the bathing supplies. "If we could work under the rules of the free there would be a bit more too it and a community celebration over the wedding. There is the blood joining ritual we could have used instead but with ship water available this one was thought to be safer."

"A true sacrifice on Tattooine," Obi-Wan agreed.

A single bucket of water could mean the difference between life or death on that desert planet, especially among the slaves. For a wedding like this they would have had to have permission from an overseer or a master or, alternatively, saved bits of water for _weeks_ to get enough for a proper bucket full to be wasted by using it to wash with.

"I warned him that you didn't know and Luke insisted we explain it first. Normally, the marriage marker is presented after the couple is finally alone," Anakin smirked.

"I would have been quite cross if you had tricked me into marrying you," Obi-Wan pointed out with mock severity. Truth be told he had rather expected to suddenly wake up married at some point after that little questioning session involving Tattooine marriage customs after Harry had defended Luke.

"I know," Anakin agreed with a widening smirk before giving his fiance another kiss.

Obi-Wan allowed them to strip and wash him before joining in when the same was done for Anakin's turn. Once they were dressed again the three sat down together at a meal rich with water filled foods. Together they happily ate and turned the tokens into something wearable with some bits of flexible wire and ribbon that Luke had found somewhere on the ship before he left the newly weds alone.

They weren't seen until the next morning, both of them sporting new bracelets, quietly signifying their married status.


	16. Desert Bonds

The day after the wedding they set to clearing Leia of any mind traps.

All of them hated hearing Leia scream as both Obi-Wan and Anakin clumsily checked her mind using the force. After which it was jointly decided that she needed to delay leaving for several weeks at minimum so that she could be taught the basics of intentionally shielding her mind from anyone wanting to take a peek. She would leave with Han, back to the alliance, after Luke had been checked but before they checked Harry. She left behind her blessing to adopt Harry as well as a promise to file the changes appropriately in the rebel database so that no one could deny them access to each other if any of them found themselves among the rebels.

Contrary to Harry's original attempted instruction in the art, Leia had already learned meditation. This made teaching her the basics of Legilimency and Occlumency much easier. She would eventually develop a shield modeled after the old senate on Coruscant, unknowingly using the same technique which had been successfully used by her late mother Padme.

Harry would later select to study under both former Jedi when his turn came. It was anything but easy yet he still learned to build shields by using his emotions as a barrier. After checking his mind barriers and destroying the last mind traps, they had agreed that Severus would be the next person who had to be checked carefully. Not only had he been long under the thumb of two insane wizarding masters but his affinity for dark magics made him a bigger target for seduction compared to the rest of their little group in Palpatine's eyes.

Harry had taken _months_ to clean out, much to Severus' distress and everyone's concern. Equally, Severus had needed time to accept the outside intrusion before they could even look around _his_ brain. Unsurprisingly, he had taken longer than Harry to be cleared of compulsions, racking up seven weeks of pure hell.

Luke had only one compulsion, to listen to Yoda or Obi-Wan as his teacher. Obi-Wan had needed to swear up and down that it hadn't been his doing and only the truth of his words resonating in the force had grudgingly satisfied Anakin, calming him from going full Vader. It still left an unspoken promise to have _words_ with Yoda once they finally caught up with the little green troll.

Anakin, on the other hand had insisted, yet again, that they push through until it was done when it was his turn. As a result Obi-Wan and Severus had to knock out the other two and listen to Anakin Skywalker, Lord Vader, scream for nearly ten hours straight as they grimly found and removed compulsion after compulsion from his mind. Once completed they had found not even a single implanted manipulation from Palpatine aside from several wiped memories of explosive implants placed by order of the Emperor, and dozens of mental commands placed by the Jedi Order. Palpatine's manipulations had been purely verbal or used non-force based techniques yet he had earned the trust of a child to enslave the adult, groomed to Palpatine's specifications.

Captain Peitt had covered for Lord Vader's incapacitation for the full ten days of recovery wonderfully. Anakin had already been eyeing him as Ozzel's eventual replacement but this incident practically cemented the man's rise in rank and continued presence as one of "Vader's" men.

Peitt had also been subjected to helping with the various etiquette lessons that Luke and Harry needed in both of their positions as Lord Vader's family (or pending family in Harry's case). This included the magical etiquette that Severus decided Luke and Obi-Wan had to learn alongside Harry on the off chance that if _he_ wasn't around to stop Harry from doing something stupid the other two might succeed in his place.

> _  
>  ** Flashback ** _
> 
> _"We can start with some of the more simple and universal etiquette lessons or we can start with the ones you will most likely need to avoid being killed, eaten, or otherwise mangled. Which would you prefer?" Severus asked with a smirk, his eyes conveying how deadly serious he was about the matter._
> 
> _"Survival first," Harry put in hurriedly. Luke nodded rapid agreement which got a raised eyebrow from Peitt who was standing off to one side but no other comment._
> 
> _"Due to your repeated inability to stay out of situations in which this and similar skills might be needed Obi-Wan will also be joining us as both one of your instructors in the galactic etiquette and a fellow student in regards to the magical etiquette. I _pray_ that he won't need to remind either of you about something like this in the middle of a situation but I won't hold my breath on the matter," Severus snarked. Both attending students blushed sheepishly with separate memories regarding previous failures at proper etiquette in which actual knowledge would have saved them a great deal of trouble._
> 
> _"Both of you will be learning different forms of lock picking and other escape tactics as well as basic poison and potion detection techniques. This is partly due to the fact that political dinners are frequently used for assassination and kidnap attempts alongside the political in-fighting and backroom deal brokering. Something which may require you to use less etiquette and more escape and evasion tactics," Obi-Wan added as he slipped from the room's shadows scaring them silly and proving that he was still dangerous when he chose to be._
> 
> _This resulted in_ hours _of learning a variant of potions (for the ingredient interactions) alongside basic manners in high society and the different pieces of cutlery. Lock picking and potion/poison detection by taste/sight/smell consumed several weeks worth of lessons. All of which was interspersed with magical traditions and stories of what happened when one was careless with magic. The end result was a very healthy respect for magic and enough basic manners not to be killed for open rudeness._
> 
> _** End Flashback ** _

  
Anakin had insisted on everyone being cleared before Harry was adopted using the desert ritual to avoid potential complications especially as the Empire adoption had gone through almost immediately thanks to the Emperor. This, in turn, forced both Skywalker natives of Tattooine to explain something secret about the planet. Tattooine was _alive_ and _very_ sentient.

"And your wedding wasn't something the planet might be interested in?" Severus asked pointedly.

"It... I marked Obi-Wan as an adopted Tattooine native years ago. I didn't need the planet to be introduced to him because they've already met and he passed the naturalization test. He is what is called an off-world child of Tattooine," Anakin explained hesitantly. "He didn't need a re-introduction. Harry... needs to be introduced as part of the adoption. Thankfully, we don't actually need to be near Tattooine for that but having extra outside influences involved for whatever reason is a bad idea."

"There are tales of people being forced to start one of the more powerful desert rituals only for the sands to destroy the entire area in a furious sand storm, leaving behind only those who had been forced to participate but not without a price. Damaged lungs, missing limbs caused by flying rocks, and permanent blindness are common if the person isn't simply buried alive beneath the sands. Tattooine sand storms are _dangerous_ ," Luke explained earnestly. "Tattooine does _not_ take well to being ordered around by anyone."

"Really?" Severus drawled, looking pointedly at Harry, earning snickers from the others. Harry just childishly stuck his tongue out at the other wizard before turning his back on the man. Severus chose to pull the petite imp backwards to rest against his chest in retaliation and they just stand there together for a minute, content.

"Blood is one of the stronger life waters used in desert rituals but for something like this we would need more than simply blood," Anakin told them, bringing the discussion back on track. "We will also be sharing regular water and food. If one of us had actual sand from Tattooine to add in it would be even better but that's not currently possible."

"Yes, that is rather to be expected. I take you are only sharing so much with me to determine if it will have harmful side effects due to our magical nature?" Severus asked with a sigh.

"You don't qualify yet to be part of the ritual its self and you only barely qualify to be informed. When the situation was explained to Leia she said that she didn't mind missing the ritual and that she felt she was more of Alderaan than Tattooine in any case. It was part of why she didn't wait to be a part of the adoption and went ahead to the alliance after giving her blessing," Obi-Wan explained. "Its also part of why Anakin and Luke arranged our marriage before anyone left. Both rituals have to work under the slave restrictions but the chosen adoption ritual also calls on the mind of Tattooine and its people as a whole to observe the adoption and give its blessing."

"Yet?" Severus asked archly.

Severus understood about family magics and secret magics even if he didn't want to admit that. If nothing else exposure to both the Malfoy and Weasley families each in their turn had made him _very_ aware of the family aspects. Harry had done him a service when he helped the Malfoys after the war, ensuring a second chance for Draco but a lack of escape from responsibility for the family as a whole. His godson would never be on especially friendly terms with his Imp but they did respect each other, could work together, and they no longer tried to sabotage one another out of spite. It was enough.

"You honestly think you aren't somehow part of this family? Or that we will let you escape making it official at some point?" Anakin snorted, his eyes laughing. Severus inclined his head, conceding the point.

"There is also the fact that we might have figured out a way to block the Emperor but until we are certain..." Obi-Wan said trailing off.

"This isn't the first time I have played spy," Severus agreed with a grimace. "He's getting overly insistent but it isn't anything I can't handle. During the day I can mostly block him from accessing my mind but I'm starting to have trouble with the dreams he's sending me. Its as if he found an extra well of power just lying around somewhere."

"He might very well have," Obi-Wan said as slow realization dawned.

"Oh?" Anakin asked, eyebrow arched in curiosity and inquiry.

"One of the reasons for the temple to have been built specifically where it was is that underneath it there is an ancient _Sith_ temple. The Jedi temple on Coruscant was meant to help contain it and dissipate the dark side that had settled into that particular force eddy. I fear it may have been partly at fault for the order's inability to sense Palpatine and react correctly to his maneuvers," Obi-Wan explained grimly. "Only Council Members were allowed access to those history files and most never bothered to look at them."

"And the temple march re-dedicated the temple to the dark side in a massive way on top of any Sith Holocrons he managed to get over the years," Anakin grimaced. "To be frank I think the Emperor is giving us enough rope to hang ourselves with just now aside from messing with Severus, he's being uncommonly forgiving and gentle with this entire thing. Even if he manages to take Severus he probably plans to kill the rest of us and take the twins too. My previous poor health was a disappointment and a major limiting factor but equally I am _stronger_ in the force than he is. Not to mention the Sith tradition has the apprentice killing the master to _become_ the master."

"Its always _something_ ," Harry muttered moodily. He still hadn't moved away from Severus and Severus hadn't released him from the gentle backwards hug they had settled into.

"We have fought Dark Lords before. The only reason his tactics aren't working overly well is because of our experiences dealing with both Voldemort and Dumbledore at the same time," Severus sighed. "As much as our people might argue the point while Dumbledore never actively used dark magic he _was_ a type of Dark Lord. No _Light Lord_ would ever use children as living sacrifices, assassins, and soldiers."

"Dumbledore did all that in the last two wars," Harry murmured with a resigned sigh.

"Imp, _you_ were the first _true_ Light Lord in centuries. They couldn't recognize that which is why you had so much trouble afterwards. Don't think I didn't notice how you blackmailed the Unspeakables into leaving you alone. I was dead not incompetent," Severus said pointedly.

"They wanted to turn me into a mad science experiment!" Harry protested, turning around to face the other man.

"That does not give you leave to destroy the Department of Mysteries for a second time," Severus said pointedly.

"That actually had more to do with my Master of Death duties," Harry blushed. "They weren't supposed to have the veil."

"Imp," Severus said fondly as he hugged the smaller man close again before letting him go.

"So the Emperor is leaving us alone to screw with us, he probably found the Sith Temple and is using it along side Sith Holocrons, and Harry has destroyed something fairly important at least twice. As much as I understand the need to look at these things what does it have to do with adopting Harry?" Luke asked with laughing eyes and a brilliant smile filled with mirth.

"I think the point is that we should be expecting something... unexpected if we follow through. Between Harry's unpredictable luck and the same luck that appears to cling to Skywalker men I doubt that the adoption will be _simple_ ," Obi-Wan summarized. No one argued the point.

"In regards to the desert bonds or whatever adoption ritual you settle on. It is likely to be _more_ binding than usual and may alter his blood so that he becomes one of your children in all ways, effectively giving him you as a third parent. I find it unlikely to backfire in some fashion but as Obi-Wan pointed out the three of you have unusual luck," Severus said, finally answering the original question about the adoption.

"Would you wait out here in the common area?" Luke asked carefully. "Part of this can be done in front of close friends but most of it is... private."

"I understand," Severus agreed before gently pushing Harry towards the other men. Harry gave him one last look before following them into Anakin and Obi-Wan's room. The door closed with a sense of finality behind them.

Harry found himself picked up like a small child, barely stifling a yelp of surprise. Anakin's strong arms held him close to the man's chest before he was placed on the bed surrounded by the other three men. They each shared a blade, very carefully using different sections to make the very small cuts necessary to draw a drop of blood and silently place on Harry's forehead. A cup of water was picked up by the three men together as they very carefully poured it over his head in silence.

"Welcome to the Skywalker family little brother," Luke greeted him as the youngest family member able to speak in accordance with tradition.

Harry smiled widely and moved to speak only for his eyes to suddenly go pure white with power as wild magic poured from him to wrap around each man. A fourth tendril forced open the door to the room and dragged Severus inside to watch with open concern and barely controlled terror for Harry. He never noticed being positioned next to the others on the bed within arm's reach of his Imp, only that whatever was happening Harry was still _alive_.

"The Son of Suns and his Kraytlings have returned one of the lost Magi to the desert," Harry's voice echoed with power that tasted of sand, dry desert, and cooling oasis water. "The Magi will learn of our sands and stand as guardian as his people once did for millennia until the danger became too great and they traveled the stars in search of greater safety. His children will guard the desert and its peoples with jealousy even as a Greater Krayt guards its lair and hoard. Force touched child of the sands you have brought honor to your line and have returned magic to our dunes. Once more we now have a voice that all may understand plainly."

Severus just quietly cursed. He had somehow vainly hoped that being the Emperor's focus would protect his Imp from his knack for trouble, instead it appeared to make it somewhat worse.

Harry looked at Severus, his eyes now filled with golden power surrounding a center of bright emerald green.

"You are an acceptable mate, dark one. When you join with my magi you will also be claimed by my sands. My magi has permission to act as a Greater Krayt Dragon defending his lair with you as his pearl. The Kraytlings you will both produce bring much joy to these sands. The Son of Suns, his star walking mate, and his Kraytlings are your clan now. I give these two magi into your care and the care of your Kraytlings my Son of Sons and also into the care of your mate. Guard them well and bring me the head of the fallen Sarlacc that poisons the stars you yet walk. The time approaches when all the stars will know of my mind and my strong children," Harry announced before the power abruptly fell away, leaving him to collapse forwards into the arms of a worried Potions Master.

"That was worse than Mortis," Obi-Wan said decidedly, a faintly hysterical laugh bubbling in his throat and begging to be let out. All of them huddled together on the bed, hovering over Harry until he began to stir again.

" _Another_ prophecy?" Severus asked Harry flatly as he came back around only to find himself looking up into onyx eyes. The imp just gave a shrug and a sheepish grin. Severus in turn sighed and pressed their foreheads together before whispering a resigned rhetorical question. "What am I going to do with you my brat?"

Harry just cuddled into his chest, unable or unwilling to speak.

None of them risked going far from each other and only a discrete medical test by a quickly wiped droid told them that Harry had indeed been blood adopted during the Desert Bonds ritual. He was now not only a Potter but also a Skywalker and a Kenobi by blood.


	17. Of Dreams and Links

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Independence Day!  
> Enjoy this rather oversized chapter!
> 
> You can blame my back and forth with trickster32 for this again. XD  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two nights after the adoption Severus finally failed to defend himself against the Emperor's mental intrusions, allowing him to once more manifest as the Potions Master was again caught in the hold of a nightmare.

Severus woke up from yet _another_ nightmare. This time the nightmare had featured Harry being ripped apart by imperial droids because they wanted to figure out why he and Severus had magic. Looking around the room for Harry he found himself imprisoned in a strong force barrier, perfectly silent and unbreakable, while he could see Harry un-moving in the bed across the room.

The coldness he felt in the room along with the hated collar suddenly gracing his neck didn't bode well. Stiff geriatric arms wrapped themselves around the trembling Potions Master. Severus could not believe it, Palpatine was trying to _comfort him._

"Come home to me, Pet. You've endured those dreams for months. They will stop once you are home. I promise you that your little ex-master will be safe with his new family but only once you are on your way back to me, my dear Severus," Palpatine whispered into Severus's ear. "You can't help him! Accept your fate, my pet. Let it go, return to the dark side, you will feel so much better..."

"The fading life debt isn't the only hold and the brat had no say when any of it happened. He would release me, gladly, to walk my own path if he could," Severus explained in a trembling voice, weary to his very bones. "The first time would have only worked because it was in Harry's defense and it would have eventually killed me because I couldn't protect him from any other dangers he might face. It isn't so simple as you think. At most you could have me for maybe six months before my own magic turned on me and melted me from the inside. Once begun... there is only one cure and Harry doesn't know it, no one else would be able to administer it."

"Cure? What cure?" Palpatine demanded, clutching more tightly at his pet.

"He isn't old enough or skilled enough to do it and it would bind us more firmly together for a year and a day. If the wrong or right conditions are in place at the end of that time the bond shifts to a marriage bond unless it simply shatters, removing all bonds between us. We would become strangers, neither enemy nor ally," Severus said, barely awake after so many rough nights of sleep in a row. "The alternative is that I trigger it and make sure to fuck him very thoroughly before keeping him."

Palpatine snarled in fury as he let go of Severus only to rake clawed hands down the other man's back, leaving trails of fiery pain that had the Potions Master biting back a wordless cry of agony even as he felt the Emperor, barrier, and collar fade away. He could feel blood starting to soak the back of his torn night shirt as he fought to breathe without crying out in pain from the newly delivered wounds spanning his back.

The others had been alerted to the unwelcome visitor by the vanishing of the barriers and ran to his bed. Harry had to choke back his fury when he saw the fresh wounds on Severus' back. Someone had attacked the Potions Master and Harry had a feeling he knew who the culprit would be. Even as he watched the older man tried to keep from giving voice to the pain inside him. No sound left his lips, except a harsh ragged breathing.

The injuries glowed an angry red, an obvious sign of an infection which was likely to be followed by a strong fever. Using the communicator, Lord Vader ordered a medic-droid to Severus' chambers. They had to hurry, or it could become even worse for the young Potions Master.

This had been one of the rare nights that Severus had allowed Harry to sleep in a different bed than him and looking up into those furious green eyes he knew that the other wizard wouldn't let it happen again if this was the result while the Emperor lived.

"What did you tell him?" Anakin asked, letting go of his mantle of Lord Vader as he carefully checked over the wounds while they waited for the med droid.

"The truth," Severus rasped. "I was too tired to lie or deflect."

Harry had grabbed Severus hand and didn't let go, this incident clearly showed why they had to free themselves from Palpatine's influence.

"It's okay, I've had worse," Severus murmured as he remembered his punishment from Voldemort for having the audacity to beg for Lily's life. Harry glared, knowing that Severus was right but unwilling to let him work through the pain alone.

"You don't sleep alone anymore," Anakin said sternly. "This sort of punishment is rare, he favors force lightning too much, but it also means that he's reaching the end of his temper. When he used it against me he was trying to turn me by threatening my wife and the twins while she was still pregnant. If he's still upset the next time we are called back to the palace we won't be able to wait for him to calm down or until any of our precautions are in place. We will have to try and take him."

"Understood," Severus hissed out as light pressure was applied to the still bleeding wounds along with a random shirt to try to slow the blood flow.

After having Severus brought to the infirmary the med droid suggested they combine this visit with the general health exam, something which the Emperor had insisted on. They sedated Severus to work in peace and quiet on his injuries none of the droids or their human counterparts had bat an eye over Harry's refusal let go of Severus' hand during the whole procedure.

Lord Vader left his new son watching over the stubborn Potions Master to inform Obi-Wan and his twins, Leia via the com, about the latest ghostly visit. They needed to develop a better strategy to protect them all and find a way to capture Yoda, something which would not be any easier than it would be to escape Palpatine's wrath. With the mind scans complete and Harry finally adopted they could wait no longer to seek out Yoda. They were going to _Dagobah_.

Two days later they were on their way to Dagobah and everyone was doing something to relax or some last minute training. As it was Severus was alone in the common room of their quarters, reading up on the force.

Severus shivered. He should be glad that the medical scans hadn't shown any unfriendly surprises but his anxiety had still spiked. Palpatine would be informed about their results and with Harry's adoption into Vader's clan there wasn't much that could stop the Emperor now. Peitt seemed to understand his uneasiness and had given him one of the reading pads that had been connected to the Imperial Archives.

The Potions Master felt that he needed to know more about the force, its history, skills, and dangers. How else should he be able to defend himself against those unwanted advances? The collar scared him most of all if he was honest to himself. It molded him into a harmless little puppet, not even being able to speak or do anything that Palpatine had forbidden. He hadn't been able to warn the others that the other night had not been the first time the Emperor had punished him or about the threats to force Severus to kill them in their sleep.

Knowledge is power and very much the key to their survival.

Severus was alone in their joint living room as he took a break and leaned back on the couch to rub at his tired eyes. He was determined to get a drink after this chapter before diving once more into the recorded history of the Jedi and the Sith. Completely absorbed in his reading he didn't notice the chill that swept through the room or the barrier which enclosed him like a special exhibit, a force barrier who would bar anyone besides Palpatine from the room.

Once more the collar materialized around Severus' neck and with a silent command the reading pad shattered in Severus' hands while the room darkened. Palpatine used the force to press Severus to the ground bowing submissively to his master.

"Tsk, tsk, you have been very naughty, pet. This is not suitable knowledge for you. Should you have a question then you are to ask me," Palpatine instructed, eyeing the now useless reading pad balefully.

The ghostly force projection collar tightened around Severus' neck and the Potions Master swallowed hard, this didn't bode well for him.

"We're alone, maybe it is time for a few corrections, my dear Severus," Palpatine hissed angrily.

"How was I to bother you with trivial questions when we are to go against Yoda in no more than a few days?" Severus asked quickly. It was true enough but he was also studying against the day they had to take out Palpatine himself.

His question gave the tyrant pause. Palpatine had assigned the task and had still continued to play with Severus for all that his pet was out of easy reach. If young Harry succeeded in capturing that irritating little troll of a Jedi Grandmaster then his pet would return to the young man's care and responsibility. Granted he had held off on some of his more invasive ideas in regards to Severus on the off chance that the youth succeeded but he found that he did not want to let young Harry have his pet _at all_.

"What is it that you really want my pet?" Palpatine asked, eyes narrowed in suspicious speculation.

"It doesn't matter, Potter would never allow it," Severus muttered. He was fairly sure that Harry _would_ in fact allow it but for how long? A week? A Month? A year? It was that potential end time limit he focused on as he channeled his pending misery and despair to hide what he really wanted to do.

"Pet?" Palpatine asked in a soothing tone, taking on a more gentle mien to get the information he wanted.

"Its nothing. It predates our arrival here," Severus dismissed even as his head never rose from its bowed position nor did his hair, which had fallen forwards in a curtain around his face, reveal the expression on his face.

"You are in love with him," Palpatine concluded. "You knew how to break the bonds between you without aid and you've been playing dumb."

Severus' silence was damning along with his defensively hunched shoulders.

"Ah, my pet. I will have to punish you for your deceit," Palpatine sighed sadly, causing Severus to grind his teeth at a similar memory from both Dumbledore and Voldemort.

"There is a price to it. I did not lie about what I've told you," Severus insisted. Palpatine didn't care that the Force confirmed the Potion Master's truthfulness. What he cared about was that his pet had attempted to deceive him.

"I already promised him to you pet. Do you think I will not keep my word?" Palpatine crooned in false concern.

"It isn't your word in question, master," Severus said but didn't elaborate.

"You think my apprentice, his whelp, or his slave will take your Harry?" Palpatine asked, intrigued by the idea.

"The Admiral... Ozzel has indicated that he hopes to take Harry as a pet as have others. He isn't aware of the life debt or the adoption you authorized. Though the paperwork you allowed to be filed isn't enough alone to dissolve the life debt between Harry and Luke. Under normal circumstances it can take months to years for the family bond to form and stabilize enough to dispel the life debt," Severus explained, obviously unhappy at what he was telling the Sith Master. "Several Ensigns have been seen... less than healthy after answering one of his summons."

The Emperor sat down on the floor and drew Severus into his arms without any visible resistance. It was clear that another approach would get his wish fulfilled and bound his pet irrevocably to him, as long as he played his cards right...

"I could help you ensure that your Harry would be safe, pet. For a price, you have tried to deceive me and I'm a strict master," Palpatine reminded him.

Severus nodded. The punishment was to be expected. He only hoped that Palpatine would not punish anyone else besides him but he knew the Emperor would enjoy setting an example and taking their group down a peg or two.

"What sort of price, Master?" Severus asked warily. No need to get the Sith suspicious with his easy compliance that was in reality the resigned experience of serving previous Dark Lords.

"You will break the bond between you both within the next month, pet. I want you to return to Imperial Center without trying to run from me again," Palpatine ordered softly but sternly. His internal glee was making him giddy. He had a better hold on his pet and the group as a whole and it made him want to smile.

"I can't... Breaking the bond alone without the preparations I told you of before will cripple both of us for three months at minimum," Severus said miserably. "It could also cause permanent damage to both of us. I was under the impression that you wanted at least me whole."

"Bring your Harry to me then and we will break it together," Palpatine offered soothingly. He would _not_ loose his pet to something so trivial!

"I want him to be safe and whole. Please do not demand this from me. Anything else, but not this," Severus begged quietly. He was exhausted for some strange reason but the fear for Harry kept him mostly alert.

"It will be for the best, pet. Trust me," Palpatine whispered in Severus' ear. "Nothing will happen to you nor to your Harry and afterwards you will not need to remember any of it. Give in, Severus. Come home and be _safe_."

"Then I am to let the vow of protection kill me as well?" Severus asked wearily. It was something he had mentioned in passing and a selfish enough reason that the madman before him would accept that it wasn't only protection but also self-preservation that was motivating him.

"Hardly. Once you are in my arms I can allow you to break the bond the more gentle way. Even if it remains after the year and a day you told me of you can complete your force training and gain the power to protect your Harry," Palpatine coaxed. He had every intention of his pet eventually killing Harry or keeping him locked away as nothing more than a fuck toy but Severus didn't need to know that until the time was right.

"I need more time to think about it, Master," Severus murmured. He wasn't really able to follow the conversation any longer. Why the devil was he so tired when it was only mid-afternoon?!

Reality went very strange at that point as four minds watched the Emperor move with ghostly intent. Two injection needles came from inside the heavy robe pockets only to be pressed into Severus' skin one by one, dropping two separate drugs into his very blood. They knew the dark blue one would increase the nightmares and the deep red one would latch on to any strong positive feelings and redirect them to the first person Severus saw, the one to administer the drugs, Palpatine.

"I will not lose you to a mere boy, pet. I always play for the win," the Sith Lord smirked.

"Then its a good thing you aren't fully here if those drugs are anything to go by," the four said as one.

"Pet?" Palpatine asked as his smile faltered.

"Something just went very wrong," the four spoke as their bodies frowned. "Not just Severus... four minds as one? Obi-Wan isn't here but the link remains... Two wizards, two Skywalkers born... Magic bond... Force bond... help?!"

"Did this happen before or after my attempt to administer a drug using force projection?" Palpatine asked with a frown.

"Before," the multiple voice answered. "The drugs might have entered all four of us but we think only the nightmare one took. It _burns_."

All of them heard Obi-Wan reach out in confusion only to hit their joint mind and scream through the force in pain before forcing himself back under control and ignoring the pain as he joined Palpatine's force projection in examining the situation with his force senses.

"Kenobi, collect the others and bring them to the common room. Whatever happened we will need them together to examine the effects," Palpatine ordered, knowing he would be heard by all involved and obeyed.

The four as one felt the ragged acknowledgement before Obi-Wan withdrew and gently guided the three missing bodies to the same room as Severus' body.

Obi-Wan took one look at Palpatine when he entered the room and sighed.

"I take it you decided we needed closer watching to invest enough in time and energy to send and anchor a copy of yourself among us?" Obi-Wan asked with resignation.

Palpatine smirked but said nothing. Between the two of them the four afflicted men were arranged on the couch or on the floor in front of it. Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow at the shattered reading pad but didn't comment aside from clearing it away so no one got hurt on the pieces.

"We are one yet our individual memories remain separate... This is _weird_ ," the quartet complained.

"I wonder if you'll share dreams?" Obi-Wan muttered before sighing and starting to really look at their joint signature. He was _not_ expecting four sets of hands to reach out and grab him before subjecting him to tickle torture for a good ten minutes.

"Not harmful but _very_ good revenge," the four smirked at the Emperor's surprised copy as they let Obi-Wan up again. Obi-Wan's kind smile of angelic quality though that they got in return had all four of them wary.

"Yoda and Yaddle in string bikini's and Mace Windu in a pink leotard," Obi-Wan said simply. The quartet winced, whimpered, and generally raised their hands in surrender. Palpatine grimaced at the mental image but couldn't help but admire the retaliation choice.

"Come here, pet," Palpatine instructed softly. All four bodies attempted to comply only to find a raised hand indicating that they stop. A grim look was exchanged between the unaffected force presence copy and Obi-Wan.

"This is going to be difficult to fix," Obi-Wan sighed, rubbing at his already aching forehead.

"Yes and no," the four said in unison.

"Explain," the Palpatine copy demanded.

"Time," they said simply.

"Can you feel the link degrading or does something else tell you that it will resolve its self?" Obi-Wan asked carefully.

"There are stages of stabilization. We will be sharing dreams for... weeks? months? ...For a time incomplete. This current stage will pass by bedtime and we will be closer to being four again instead of one in four bodies. It is likely we will have no secrets from each other by the end and will act similar to linked twins in some cases. If we are not careful there might be a body swap or two," they said with a shrug. The four of them were mostly a mix of irritated and resigned between the Skywalker and Potter luck shared between them as well as Severus' exasperation at dealing with yet _another_ strange twist to reality around Harry.

The Palpatine copy considered this. Even though he truly wanted his pet to himself it was seeming to be a near impossible job to separate him from at least the green-eyed brat. The Emperor was stubborn and greedy at times, yes, but he was anything but stupid. His pet wanted Harry safe and the Force seemed to be conspiring against their separation for even as short a time as a month. He could work with this. He hadn't checked for a force bond after learning of the magical bonds but perhaps he had best assume that to have his pet the brat would come with him. Well, then the simple answer was to make sure they _both_ knew _his_ wishes came first and that he would punish them as he saw fit even if he had to consider them a matched set.

The Emperor planned to study force bonds in depth for the next hours until he could try to invade the dreams of his pet where he would attempt to activate both drugs delivered earlier via force projection. He was completely ignoring the four's idea that only the nightmare one had worked. Severus belonged to _him_. For the audacity to have to treat them like a matched set, well - he knew exactly which strategy to use, should either of them overstep their boundaries.

Besides, should he offer to punish one of them he knew that his pet would sacrifice himself. It would hurt the little brat even more. Palpatine would make certain that Harry would have to watch everything helplessly, including the aftercare for Severus. Palpatine could make small concessions, as long as he got his reward, and before the month was done he would ensure that Severus would be completely dependent on him alone, even if he had to do the same for the brat.

"I will leave you alone... for now. Pet, I want an explicit report of all magical bonds. Don't you dare omit anything or you will not like the punishment," Palpatine warned, eyeing Harry meaningfully, before his force projection faded away, Severus' pet collar going with him. He had to copy his memories to the original after all and had to make preparations for his new set of pets.

"I'm just going to assume he will want my report on what's happening to the four of you as well," Obi-Wan said with a grimace.

"He want's Severus alone but he may have decided not to split the wizard pair up after this... It is possible that this came from a form of accidental magic as an attempted defense or a building force bond interacting with the natural defensive magic attempting to hold the Emperor off from claiming Severus," the four said thoughtfully.

Obi-Wan dutifully organized the delivery of food and drinks to their joint living quarters. He would use Jedi techniques to ensure that nobody would disturb their evening since nobody knew how long the connection between the quartet would continue to exist. He had also decided to inform Leia and Han, discretely, via their secret code over the coms and to ask them to research force bonds in the alliance archives. Leia was also given her next set of force training assignments.

Peitt got warned as well with how he seemed to be turning into their go-between with the rest of the Executor's crew and general overall protection when things involving magic or the force went strange or wrong. The protective clone troopers in turn were warned by Peitt in case there was trouble that needed fire power to overcome. The odd buffer situation was flatly ignored by the crew since it kept fewer people from being executed and Vader's expressions of anger contained to non-living and mostly useless targets. At this point they would actively fight to keep the buffer and the odd little family Lord Vader seemed to be building in his quarters. None of them were _stupid_ and all of them were quite happy to play dumb if it kept their Lord this happy.

Obi-Wan was mostly worried about the two drugs that the force projection copy had injected into Severus. The former Jedi Councilman hadn't even known that this was possible nor did he know what drugs had been used, therefore a night time trip to the infirmary was necessary for gathering more information about the drugs and their possible effects. At least the former Jedi Master hoped that he could find _some_ information, this entire mind-link mess would make it all the harder to defeat Palpatine. He would have to check to see if those drugs could be flushed out easily or if their was even a cure at all. Obi-Wan, though, feared that these were designer drugs developed by Palpatine himself.

To save time, Severus had dragged up the memory of being dosed from his unexpected afternoon meeting with Palpatine. The others needed to know everything, even if Severus _hated_ to share so much with anyone else. No one else would be told if it were up to him, not even with their little group, it would be too dangerous that it could be used against them.

The moment the other three understood what had happened, seeing everything from before the injection, they were enraged. It took Severus _hours_ to calm them sufficiently to remind them he had taken the protective position willingly and he was not unfamiliar with such treatment. Having to pull multiple memories of similar treatment from Voldemort and once or twice from Dumbledore, without the sexual factor, was a pain but it got the point across. It also, unfortunately, raised the protective instincts of the other three.

The silent argument between the four of them raged until he had ruthlessly destroyed their objections to him continuing his normal modus operandi in regards to fighting Dark Lords. That is to say get close, get trusted, feed what you can to the hero, keep the hero alive without getting revealed - if possible, and help _kill_ the be damned Dark Lord. The only problem was that he was currently temporarily bonded to said three potential heroes and their protective hero-complexes had decided that he was a precious family treasure... why did Fate hate him?!

Severus sulked. He hadn't liked sharing the memories of his past with them no matter how similar some of the experiences had been. He valued his privacy jealously and he hated it when people pitied him. Using his hair as a veil to shield himself, the dark man tried his best to ignore them all regardless of the necessarily shared mind-space.

Harry's heart hurt. He had been forced to watch Severus' memories and his ire had risen again. He had badly wanted to kill both Voldemort and Dumbledore a second time but this time he would have planed to make them suffer longer for everything they had done to _his Severus_.

Anakin and Luke watched the pair of pining wizards and sighed. Killing Palpatine had definitely shot to near the top of their to-do list after which they planned to just lock the two magi in a room with a bed, a linked bathroom, and food for a week. It might not solve everything but it also might get them to at least relax together before the two Skywalker men demanded their own joint cuddle time with the pair and Obi-Wan to sooth their instincts that everyone was safe.

"Just out of curiosity... if you ever willingly paired up with someone would you prefer to top or bottom?" Luke asked with sincere curiosity. Anakin smacked his son for his rudeness but didn't say anything else in their currently weird joint mindscape since he had sort of wondered the same thing.

"I prefer to top but wouldn't necessarily object to bottoming if I trusted them. It has simply been used against me too often for easy comfort," Severus admitted. In his mind it was a valid question considering the directions that the Emperor could force this situation and future situations. He wouldn't put it past the madman to use him or the others as sex toys. It was better to openly share such preferences when asked in private before hand than to let their enemy control all of it without even this much of a token resistance.

Harry perked up, he wouldn't mind letting Severus top him during sex, but he still hoped that the dour man would learn to trust him enough to bottom at least once or twice for him. Harry knew that he would really enjoy it if Severus decided to carry their children but for that wish to even remotely have a chance of coming true they had to kill Palpatine first, otherwise Severus would never be free.

Harry wasn't an idiot, he had understood exactly what Palpatine was implying earlier. He would play them against each other and force Severus to accept the punishments, especially Harry's, or else. The young mage was _angry_. He didn't want Severus to suffer any longer and he feared the effects of the drugs that Palpatine had injected earlier into Severus' blood even if they were just force projections. They had gotten a small reprieve but his instincts screamed that Palpatine would return to focusing on Severus sooner or later and their group had to be prepared for that. Maybe the link would be helpful to stop the tyrant before he could harm Severus further?

Only time would tell.

They all settled in to wait for the mind-link to _change_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I plan to run the next couple of chapters through their nightmares and memories. Ideas, suggestions, and other wants are welcome! If there is something specific that you want to see now is the time to get it in even if it doesn't match the story line because, _Dreamscape_!


	18. Of Memories and Dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another combined oversized chapter for the holiday. I really saw no way to break this up so you will just have to settle for it all in one big chunk.
> 
> Fair warning because of the Dark Side source the dreams may get quite _Dark_. It is highly recommended that you read this in bright light and with someone or something close by to cuddle with. Atrocities are referenced but not really gone into and child abuse makes an appearance.
> 
> I in no way condone these things, something I have hopefully portrayed with their reactions. Also, Palpatine is still an evil bastard.  
> Enjoy!  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Death, Magic, the Force, and Fate had watched worriedly these latest events regarding their champions. Palpatine seemed to be an even bigger threat than they had originally believed. Those drugs not only risked their plans but also pointed towards Palpatine having found the ancient magical building under the only slightly less ancient Sith temple below the palace. They clearly needed to find a solution quickly or they would lose the chance to rid the galaxy of the power hungry man.

The entities' biggest problem was the ancient magical building. That building was connected to the Sith temple, the Jedi temple, and to both wizards by ancient bloodlines. The first magic users had birthed from this galaxy and had been war refugees as Sith and Jedi had tried to eradicate themselves, each other, and the rest of galaxy in their millennia long conflict. The combined buildings had awakened and had called for the last two magical blood descendants of their original inhabitants. Should Palpatine be able to claim Severus in the ritual room of the ancient Sith temple and kill or enslave Harry then they were doomed.

Fate had warned them when this began that they would be unable to interfere often and most of the interference would be limited to introducing new players or a light warning within dreams. One thing that had been agreed on recently though was that Severus had to be told how to get out of the collar. It might not do much to their precarious balance of a situation but it would reduce the Emperor's control from a distance. Force projection had never been meant to be used the way that Palpatine was twisting it regardless of whether the force user was of the Dark or of the Light.

Obi-Wan had checked the quartet once more in worry. They appeared to have fallen asleep. The former Jedi had fought with himself on whether he should stay and guard their sleep or sneak into the infirmary for more information about Palpatine's evil drugs. Then there was the possibility that he would be drawn into the dreams through his force bond with Anakin. Originally a training bond that they never bothered severing aside from the damage done on Mustifar their marriage and other trials over the years, both together and apart, had turned it into something else.

The Palpatine copy, who had materialized again a few hours after leaving to report in, had watched them unconsciously cuddle together as they rested before the nightmare could hit. The copy had silently grit his teeth at the open affection for his pet. A sinister smile had briefly flashed over his features before being hidden away by the long abandoned pleasant mask of his senatorial days as he eagerly awaited the drug induced nightmares.

In a few minutes, the first nightmare would slam into the group with the force of a hurricane hidden within their souls and the Palpatine copy couldn't wait to use it to get his hooks back into his soon to be vulnerable pet. If he remembered correctly he had designed the nightmare drug in a way that would cycle chronologically through the lives of the victims. He couldn't wait to meet a younger version of his pet, someone who would be much more open for his manipulations. He had no idea that the drug had actually entered all four of them due to the timing of their mental joining. Severus' previous experience as a master of mind magics would change things even further, combining with both Potter and Skywalker luck to warp their mental reality as all of them fought to survive the coming nightmares intact.

The deepening of the quartet's sleep was gentle, almost unnoticeable yet oh so very dangerous. The deeper sleep did indeed spread along the bond to Obi-Wan drawing him in at the edges of what was to come. The Palpatine copy watched in greedy satisfaction as they began to dream.

> _ **Dreamscape** _
> 
> _Severus felt his magic flare as he rolled over away from the flying belt buckle his father had drunkenly aimed at him. Distantly he knew the scene before him was wrong just as the three other minds silent within his own and linked fourth one should not be, not this early in his life, not at age 8. Even still he slid to the end of the bed, skipped over the board at the end and slipped past his father's legs to slide into safety beneath the heavy wooden frame holding up the mattress._
> 
> _"Little unnatural_ freak _! I should have killed your mother when she told me she was a_ witch _," Tobias slurred drunkenly. "Drowned you when she wasn't looking you worthless..._ Beat _the magic out of you, changeling... fairy child!"_
> 
> _Severus cowered in the farthest corner underneath his bed as his father ranted and rampaged around his room, destroying everything that came to hand and viciously kicking at the bed whenever he remembered where his son was hiding. The nearly empty bottle of liqueur in the man's hand was shattered at one point, leaving a stain of alcohol and scattering of sharp edged bottle glass across the floor as the drunken man stumbled out of the room. Severus waited a good ten minutes before cautiously using the rag that had once been a thick towel which he kept under his bed to safely shove the bottle shards far enough away from his bed so that he could climb out from underneath it in safety._
> 
> _"What am I doing back here?" Severus scowled angrily._
> 
> _"Come now Severus no need to be shy," Palpatine whispered as he materialized ghost-like out of the smoke that leaked from between the wooden boards of his childhood bedroom wall._
> 
> _"The drug," Severus concluded with a sigh. Ignoring the Emperor and the obvious size difference he quickly dressed in his most sturdy clothes that he remembered for his current age, swept up the glass with adult-like efficiency, and slipped on his shoes for safety against the remaining glass pieces._
> 
> _"Severus?" Palpatine asked with a frown._
> 
> _"I am a master in the mind arts of my people. This? Dream manipulation? Is not new. The drug you gave me obviously enhanced the effects of whatever you were attempting in my dreams before. Yes, I recognize the memory. Yes, I gathered that you thought my mind would place me as a child and still be the mind of a child at some point in these specific dreams. My training however means that I can't afford to let it. One of the lesser known dangers of becoming a master in the mind arts is the risk of breaking one's own mind... or the minds of those within a certain radius should your control slip," Severus informed him shortly. "The more pleasant side effect is that it results in a certain level of defense against mental manipulations and dream attacks or manipulations. Something I failed to inform Lord Vader of was the fact that the compulsions he found and removed could only have been placed after giving me a potion that temporarily creates a dangerous mental weakness. Another sin to add to the old fool's transgressions. It could only have been done during the school year, putting the_ children _at risk."_
> 
> _"Careful pet," the Palpatine manifestation warned, eyes narrowed in anger._
> 
> _"You clearly still intend to claim me so you need to be aware of this," Severus said wearily. He leaned his eight year old body against his bed as if it were an actual wall and studied the so-called Emperor. "I am of no use to anyone mentally crippled or so vulnerable that my very mind and magic kills anything to get within a hundred feet of me as an automatic defense. It won't matter if they are a flesh and blood being or a droid almost no one will be able to get near me."_
> 
> _The Palpatine copy stepped closer to the seemingly little boy. He wasn't sure if he wanted to punish his pet or soothe him._
> 
> _Severus looked up, both of his eyes were red, as he held his hands high and suddenly flaming whips shot out of his wrists to dance as swirling fiery threads of lighting-like tornadoes. His magic had realized the danger within the room and reacted accordingly. Following the pull of his magic and poised to attack he glared at the Emperor, unyielding as the dangerous fire threads danced around the room._
> 
> _"Let's make a deal, Emperor. I do not care what you can or will do to me but you will leave Harry, Obi-Wan, Vader, and his twins alone. Swear it on your honor, the force, or whatever you actually value and in return I will not longer run from you. Or are you're willing to risk what I can do if I'm able to control these dreams, Master," Severus hissed. The flaming tornadoes burned the door to ash within seconds while the little boy tried to calm his breathing, having already destroyed the dresser and singed the bed._
> 
> _"And on what will you swear, Pet?" Palpatine asked carefully. He had recovered his equilibrium quickly despite the dangerous sight surrounding him. It would be so much better for his plans if his pet came voluntarily to him. It would strengthen the force alchemy ritual and therefore enhanced the final result._
> 
> _"On my life and my magic, Master," Severus replied, his voice both dead and deadly serious._
> 
> _The copy of Palpatine went to speak only to suddenly hiss and clutch at his chest as Gryffindor's sword suddenly spouted from his chest. Severus instantly knew where the others drawn into this nightmare realm had vanished too. His magic reacted positively by allowing the dangerous thread tornadoes to fade away to nothing as the Emperor stared down at the blade sprouting from his chest in incomprehension._
> 
> _"Stay out of our dreams because you_ really _don't want to see our_ nightmares __ _," Harry hissed angrily before wrenching the ruby encrusted blade sideways and ripping it up through what would have been both the ribs and the heart of the Palpatine copy had he been fully human._
> 
> _Palpatine screamed in pain as he dissolved into acid-like smoke before disappearing from their still joint mindscape._
> 
> _Elsewhere, outside the realm of dreams Palpatine woke with a splitting headache and an uncertainty as to what caused it. The only thing he could remember was Harry's warning in an unknown voice and wrenching pain. It would forever after make him hesitant to enter the dreams and memories of the Skywalker clan and those of their chosen families._
> 
> _Still stuck within the dream realm the others either scanned for more dangers or visually checked Severus for injuries._
> 
> _"We're going to pay for that later," Anakin said mildly as three force users and one wizard stalked into the small rickety bedroom._
> 
> _"Right now? I really don't care," Harry snarled, still seething at what the Sith Lord had obviously been attempting._
> 
> _Severus sighed, took a step forwards, and let his eight year old memories dictate his hugging of the temporarily older wizard. Harry in turn wrapped himself protectively and possessively around the currently smaller form of the Potions Master. The sword fell to the floor with a clatter as his hand clutched at something far more precious than enchanted goblin silver._
> 
> _It had taken all of Harry's self-control not to blast the brute muggle into oblivion as he attacked Severus with his belt while the four of them scrambled desperately seeking a way to manifest and help._
> 
> _"Never again make any deals with such madmen, promise me Severus," Harry demanded quietly as he cradled the smaller wizard close to his chest._
> 
> _"I.. I promise," Severus stuttered into his chest._
> 
> _"Severus, you do realize that we wouldn't have let you make that sacrifice?" Obi-Wan asked gently._
> 
> _"All of you are too much the Gryffindor's," Severus grumbled loudly enough against Harry's chest for everyone to hear his grumpy reply._
> 
> _"And you know how often we reckless Gryffindors play the hero," Harry shot back, his voice smirking but his eyes telling the others he would willingly walk into the dark to protect the wizard in his arms._
> 
> _"Are you courting the dark?" Severus asked angrily as he pulled back fast enough to catch Harry's dark expression._
> 
> _"Will it keep you safe?" Harry asked flatly._
> 
> _"No, it won't. I suspect you'll see more Death Eater meetings during this string of nightmares than the ones you simply saw through your scar during Voldemort's second rise. If you plan to court the dark you might as well see the cost," Severus warned stubbornly._
> 
> _"The cost of serving a Dark Lord?" Anakin asked mirthlessly. Severus nodded his head sharply in jerky acknowledgement. "Severus, you said it yourself or rather the four of us said it as one. By the end of this we likely won't have any deep dark secrets from each other. While I don't exactly like that it will expose my sons to that sort of darkness it may actually be safer this way. None of us want to see them fall but sometimes to avoid the fall you need to stare into the darkness and face it head on."_
> 
> _" ****_**BOY!** _" came roaring through the walls and immediately made Harry pale._
> 
> _"Oh,_ fuck! _No, no, no, not now!" Harry cursed under his breath as he quickly hurried the still small Severus back towards the bed and roughly shoved him underneath it._
> 
> _"Harry?" Obi-Wan asked with open concern as he trusted both Anakin and Luke to deal with any threats._
> 
> _"Get behind me and don't let him touch Luke or Severus," Harry snapped, moving to put himself between them and the oddly returned wooden door._
> 
> _"Harry?" Luke asked cautiously. Anakin wanted to reach out and grab his newest son but clenched his jaw as he settled for keeping Luke behind him with Severus, understanding that whatever this was it was coming from Harry's past._
> 
> _"Do_ not _interfere," Harry snarled as he shoved the others further into the room just as the door was yanked open with only him in easy reach from the doorway._
> 
> _A meaty fist snaked its way into the room to grab him by the collar and Harry's resigned green eyes met the rest of their gazes as he was_ yanked _from the room by the hand. They all flinched when he was slammed very deliberately into the door frame and the partly open door as he was dragged away. At the last moment they watched in disbelief as Harry intentionally kicked the door shut behind him, keeping them inside, hidden, and protected. Each of them recognized enough of what had happened to know that whoever that was planned to hurt Harry and that he had probably made it worse for himself to try and protect the rest of them._
> 
> _"He doesn't want us to see," Obi-Wan said in faint disbelief. "He'd rather give up the chance we could help to keep us away from whoever that is."_
> 
> _"Kriff that!" Anakin snarled as he headed for the door only to find that the seams between door and door jam had sealed._
> 
> _"I didn't know," Severus said from his position under the bed, skin pure white in shock._
> 
> _"Didn't know what?" Luke asked as he helped the still small wizard to his feet._
> 
> _"That could only have been whoever Albus placed him with, relatives of his parents. That grip and shout... he's likely getting beaten and he kept us in here to protect us," Severus explained miserably. "As the smallest right now he took extra care to shove me in the safest place and told the two most experienced fighters, aside from myself, to keep the pair of us behind them. He very deliberately left himself in easy reach of the door."_
> 
> _They all heard Harry cry out in pain as a body slammed up against the door. Grimly they looked at each other, all of them either plotting gruesome death for whoever was hurting Harry on the other side of the door or deciding how to protect and tend to Harry the moment he was back within reach. They didn't have to wait long._
> 
> _The way the door shattered from a second body blow only for a battered and bleeding Harry to land at their feet was enough of a shock for the meaty fist to wrap around his ankle with clear intent to drag him back out of the room. Anakin acted in pure fury, drawing his ruby lightsaber and slicing the meaty hand off of whoever owned it, dragging a bellow of pain and rage from the former owner as they snatched the stump back into the other room. Luke and Obi-Wan quickly moved Harry further into the room to place him on the bed with a distraught Severus as Anakin kept his blade lit and acted as their defense._
> 
> _"Oh dear," came the kindly voice of Albus Dumbledore, making Severus look up sharply from the still wounded Harry. Severus sported a snarl of rage even as he tried to shield the dazed Harry from the manipulative old man, setting the other three men on edge._
> 
> _"Severus?" Anakin asked over his shoulder, wary eyes never leaving the eccentric old man._
> 
> _"Kenobi's manipulation/negotiation skill, Palpatine's kindly old grandfather act, complicated by a truly horrendous fashion sense, and a near obsession for sweets of all types," Severus said bluntly. "He is also the reason for my forced placement as a deep cover spy when I simply wanted out and to warn my friend of the threat to her family. He was the one to choose Harry's caretakers against all legal rulings and sense, basing literally everything on blood relation and an apparently non-existent sense of love. Dangerous when he chooses to be with his high combat skill level but prefers to guilt-trip rather than outright threaten."_
> 
> _"It was for the Greater Good. You know that Severus," Albus said, giving him a deeply disappointed look. "You know that Harry has to die by Voldemort's hand so that the soul piece he carries in his scar will die with him."_
> 
> _The hiss of shock from the three force users had an angry edge as they unconsciously put themselves between the insane old man and_ their _wizards._
> 
> _"Whose memories is he being drawn from?" Obi-Wan asked tightly._
> 
> _"Combination," Harry coughed only to be shushed by the tiny Potions Master._
> 
> _"My dear boy they love you. You must stop exaggerating," Dumbledore said reproachfully._
> 
> _"_ Exaggerating?! _He's been beaten half to death!" Severus hissed in fury._
> 
> _"You know I don't really think I'm going to regret acting like a Sith with_ you _, old man," Anakin snarled as he tried to cut the aged wizard down only for him to disappear into quickly gone smoke._
> 
> _Severus' eyes switched between red and onyx as he hugged Harry closer and trying to battle his own darkness. How he hated the man after what the old coot had done to the pair of them._
> 
> _"There would have been a myriad of other options. He could have asked the Goblins for help. They likely could have transferred the horcrux to another container. Harry could have been sent to live with a magical family under Fidelius or if it had to be the muggle world send him to Andromeda and Ted Tonks," Severus sneered in aggravation. "He deceived me, knowing that the vow would kill me should the imp be killed by those muggles. Letting Harry walk to his own death and forcing me to deliver that same message to the imp with my dying breath... the fact that Harry would have to walk to his own death."_
> 
> _"That's it neither of them are going back," Luke declared angrily. "No matter what we might face here at least they won't have to deal with_ that _bantha poodoo."_
> 
> _There was a muttered round of agreements from the other two force users as they settled in mulishly to protect the injured pair._
> 
> _"Peedunkee, caba dee unko!" came rolling through the door in a thunderous voice of a Hutt. Something which both Anakin and Luke automatically translated as "Boy, get in here!"_
> 
> _"Gardulla the Hutt," Anakin hissed. "I am so glad that sleemo lost us to Watto in a bet."_
> 
> _"Who?" Luke asked carefully. He knew his father had once been a slave on Tattooine so he honestly didn't know who else was a part of the bet since it could have been anyone._
> 
> _"My mother and I. Gardulla liked to keep us in collars and drag us places on a leash. Working for Watto at his junk shop was_ much _better and he did right by us aside from not freeing us," Anakin answered without thinking._
> 
> _"Then we arrived with a broken hyperdrive and Qui-Gon could only free you in his reckless bet," Obi-Wan added sadly._
> 
> _"You know? I didn't even know I was racing for my freedom. I thought I was just trying to help you all out with getting you the parts for your ship," Anakin remembered. "Mom made me promise to go and not look back."_
> 
> _"Yes, and I was grieving so deeply once we got back to the temple that I didn't give you the attention you needed. Then once we started actively training I had to deal with regular censure from other Masters and the Council on your behalf. They were unwilling to listen when I tried to point out that you needed a different approach because of your life before the temple," Obi-Wan said sadly. "It was part of why I got so very good at negotiating and phrasing things just right. You didn't need them breathing down your neck and while I couldn't shield you from the ridiculous expectations of being thought the chosen one I could try to give you protection from overly suspicious Masters, Knights, and Council members. I was too young a Knight and training a Padawan too soon after my Master's passing in front of me, too inexperienced in dealing with an overbearing Council."_
> 
> _"Wait, died in front of you?" Anakin demanded._
> 
> _"You never asked. Master Qui-Gon and I fought Darth Maul, you remember him, and near the end of the fight we got separated. Maul gave him a gut wound while I was trapped, unable to help. I touched the dark side in my grief and anger, using it and the more vicious Sith saber move to cut him in half rather than the light side and the more merciful Jedi saber move that would have simply decapitated him. Qui-Gon died in my arms with a promise on my lips to train you," Obi-Wan explained, watching Anakin carefully as a conflict of emotions battled their way across his features. "A promise that I later realized kept me from simply giving up while at the same time giving you a safe haven for all that you probably took more care of me than the other way around at first. Never doubt that I wanted you. I was just too grief stricken to notice the force tugging on me at the start, singing how right standing at your side is for me in whatever way you need."_
> 
> _"You do realize that I am_ never _letting you go?" Anakin teased, with a more than slightly serious tone._
> 
> _"Yes, I had gathered that," Obi-Wan agreed with a gentle smile of amusement. He wasn't overly bothered being Anakin's in one way or another. "I am also quite sure that once this is all over you will tie me to your bed and enjoy my company for a day or two before we get back to business."_
> 
> _"So... I'm probably the one with the least amount of trauma," Luke sighed. "That's just wrong on so many levels."_
> 
> _That made Harry snort, trying to contain his laughter to keep from hurting worse while making everyone but Severus smile. Severus ignored the crack from the blond peanut gallery in favor of continuing to tend to Harry's wounds as he had been since his green-eyed imp was placed on the bed._
> 
> _Then the floor dropped out from underneath them all, unexpectedly tossing them all into a black void._
> 
> _They landed in a sandstone cave, all perfectly healthy and of the right size/age. Surrounding them were several Krayt Dragons, watching them carefully._
> 
> _"Um... this is new?" Luke said warily as the group cautiously got back to their feet._
> 
> _"My Skywalkers... My Magi..." the wind echoing through the cave whispered lovingly._
> 
> _"We're on Tattooine," Luke realized with quiet awe._
> 
> _"My dear battered ones... I cannot end your battle against this darksider trick sliding around your mind... Too long without guardians... You have scant refuge here... Use it well," the desert winds breathed through the caverns. "Know too... my dark Skywalker... the death of those you slew in the dunes and through the stars... was paid in full... by another fully willing to carry the burden... long ago on a hill with a simple cross... no more need for pain... guard your clan well... walk my sands as a different guardian... proven to light and dark... my Dark Krayt Dragon..."_
> 
> _Anakin couldn't help it, he broke down weeping. Only the quick hands of the others kept him from landing on the floor of the cave again, head bowed and knees smarting from the impact on stone._
> 
> _"The desert is merciless but sometimes... it is also kind to those it favors," Luke whispered the old Tattooine adage to his father. He understood better than anyone else there what had probably happened and he refused to judge his father over something he obviously regretted. Such soul deep pain would serve no purpose as he had clearly learned whatever lesson came with the teaching pain._
> 
> _They spent what seemed like hours in the cavern refuge, guarded protectively by the dragons of the desert._
> 
> _When the cavern was finally ripped away from them as a refuge the method of dreaming had shifted. They watched in a mix of horror through deep sadness and resignation as their darkest memories played across the wall that had become a view screen. Luke and Harry were nearly sick at what being in service to the dark actually meant. They all saw the atrocities delivered by Anakin as Vader even as they saw the Death Eater meetings and the results of many horrible potions and spells Severus was forced to create. One thing that very firmly stuck in their minds was the near constant punishment for failure whether it was only a perceived failure or an actual one. Only the shear skill their loved ones displayed kept them alive at times just as at other times they had to fight for their lives to survive the punishment. The only thing that kept the five from going insane trying to pull whoever it was out of the memory and shake them or protect them was the fact that their real presence was in fact standing with them, watching the gruesome movie alongside those who hadn't lived it._
> 
> _Finally, the memories shifted away from the evil done primarily by Anakin and Severus to the no less painful memories of bad childhoods and missions gone wrong. The things that saved them from the darkness of all those memories were the ones built on spent flying, reading, and simply spending time together as a family. Those good memories held off the horror the darkness was trying to instill in them alongside of a bitter resignation that it would win against anything they tried to do. The lie that serving the darkness would not destroy but empower all who touched it fought to settle into their souls._
> 
> _Then the drug finally failed, catapulting them from nightmares back into simple dreams of light, fun, laughter, and peace._
> 
> _ **End Dreamscape** _

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was _supposed_ to be multiple chapters... ah well. Thanks go out especially to ReflectionsOTR and Trickster32 (us tossing scenes back and forth is _dangerous_ ).


	19. Morning Light

The five woke with a gasp, immediately seeking each other out to be sure of the other's safety.

"Lets not do that again," Harry suggested shakily, earning shaken laughter from the others. The mind-linked quartet were still linked but it had faded back to something like a set of strings in the backs of their minds rather than a full merge of their consciousness. Somehow the dreaming had pulled Obi-Wan into the link so that the five were now connected one to another.

"All of us shared things in those dreams," Obi-Wan started, wanting to make sure each of their family was okay.

"Still want to court the Dark, Imp?" Severus snarked with a somewhat forced lightheartedness.

"No, and I don't want any of us facing that again," Harry shivered, remembering what being a servant of a Dark Lord meant from the dream-memories.

"We may still have too," Anakin reminded them grimly. "Leia is safely away with Solo and the rebellion but the rest of us are still in Palpatine's easy reach. Leaving Obi-Wan with me keeps me invested in him and keeps him contained in his status as a slave. Luke staying with me encourages our family bonding, the same with Harry."

"And he wants me," Severus finished with a sigh and a scowl.

"I got the impression that he's going to take both of us," Harry put in carefully. "The dream was so like some of the visions from Voldemort and the few lessons you gave me that I sort of... looked around his head a bit?"

"You reckless little fool!" Severus scolded, dragging the smaller wizard in easy reach before clutching at him as he tried not to shudder at the risk that came with _looking around a bit_ in the mind of _any_ Dark Lord. After all of the memories feigning any distance with his brat was pointless so he held his precious Imp close and remembered that he was safe, not mind burned or broken from within.

"What do you mean he's going to take both of you?" Anakin demanded, immediately on edge at the potential risk to his family.

"He's gotten the idea that the force wants to keep the two of us together and that he can only have Severus if he takes me too," Harry sighed. "He's already got one last test to see if he can separate us but I only got that it has something to do with that idiot Ozzel. If you kill Ozzel before he tries whatever it is there are a few people on his mental list who can take Ozzel's place in the test. I do know that it's related to me being your pet but not? I didn't see much else aside from his wish to fuck you. There were a few fantasies about that with one or two having him finding you fucking me only to simply take you any way while you've still got me on your cock."

Severus went white. He had flatly told the Emperor that Ozzel was a threat to Harry and part of why he couldn't go to him. He had also pointed out that the man was abusing his subordinates. The pieces fit together far too well in stark relief. Palpatine was thinking of giving Harry to Ozzel instead of letting Severus keep him.

"He isn't touching you! I'll kill him first!" Severus snarled viciously, his eyes flashing ruby red as he clutched the smaller wizard against him, creating bruises from his tight grip. Harry didn't make a sound, just letting the other man hold him close.

"Easy, easy," Anakin soothed. He had seen the flash of red and immediately realized it was the same warning that came with Sith yellow eyes. Severus was edging dangerously close to the dark.

"We won't let him take Harry away from you, Severus," Obi-Wan said calmly. He too had seen and recognized the red but during the dreams he had realized it normally was an indication among wizards of using _Black magics_. The pair of them coming to this galaxy must have changed or woken something in their blood for the red to be reacting like the Sith yellow eyes for force users, an indication of drawing on darkness.

"At least we know," Luke pointed out simply. "We are forewarned and thus forearmed."

"Yes, yes we are," Severus agreed, calming and his grip becoming more gentle.

Severus leaned back as he considered his options. Why would Palpatine even seriously consider that Ozzel should be able to claim Harry as his new pet? It didn't make any sense. Or... could it be a test? A test to see how far Severus was willing to go to protect his imp? He had long been used to fighting with a variety of weapons beside his wand and had taken to practicing in various gyms around the ship, testing the weapons already in the different gyms while getting back into shape.

Would Palpatine be there, not as a force projection, but as flesh and blood? It was quite possible. The Emperor wouldn't want to wait until they returned to Coruscant but what would that mean for his imp and himself? Severus had a bad feeling that the Emperor would try to block his magic and that he wouldn't be satisfied until blood had been drawn and life taken.

Severus growled angrily, his eyes still rapidly swapping between red and onyx. Come what may, he wouldn't let Ozzel win. His imp belonged to _him_!

Harry looked up worriedly into Severus' face. The Potion Master's silence didn't bode well and the young magi feared how far Palpatine was willing to go to claim the other man as his pet.

The green-eyed man shuddered as he remembered one of his own nightmares, or was it a vision? It had showed how the Emperor had fucked Severus mercilessly in a strange room in the palace on Coruscant. Severus' eyes had been a glassy ruby red, unseeing and under foreign control, as he had willingly spread his legs wider for his newest dark master and moaned in ecstasy. Palpatine had been chanting in a long forgotten language to bind the Potions Master to him for the rest of eternity.

No, Harry wouldn't allow the Emperor to take _his Severus_ away. Not as long as he was still alive and kicking. He much preferred the second one which had Severus fucking _him_ over the alter, chanting over Harry's smaller bound form. Both of their eyes had been clear of outside control even if Severus still sported ruby orbs.

Harry once more followed his instincts as he arched up and stole a kiss from the surprised Potions Master. Severus gasped as he felt Harry's breath on his lips. His imp immediately used the opportunity to dart his tongue inside Severus' mouth, while trying to tease some delicious moans from the stoic older wizard.

"Unless you want me to take you on the floor in front of the others for the first time you will stop. I am feeling uncommonly possessive at the moment and you are not helping," Severus said lowly. His voice was edging close to a growl as his cock, suddenly much larger, pressed firmly against Harry who was now lounging smugly in his lap.

"You said you could bind me to you permanently because I'm a virgin... will you do it?" Harry asked, not judging or suggesting either way.

"Virginity is not required but it makes it far more binding. As to your question I want too but the most effective one would make it agonizing if anyone else fucked you. There's too much chance that will be demanded at some point," Severus said honestly. "I've been trying to figure out one that will bind you to me but not necessarily do excessive harm with what will likely be demanded of us as pets. Right now the only thing I can think of is an open marriage bond that was sometimes used in war time because of the other benefits that came with it, namely a mental link. The link allowed for distance communication and a general constant awareness of the other's condition. I am gratified to know that should it become needed you are willing to let me try."

"We could tell him about Voldemort and suggest it would be a good idea to bind me to you so that I don't become a threat," Harry suggested uncomfortably. He hated his previous fame and telling the current Evil Emperor/Dark Lord that he had offed the last one he ran into struck him as not the best idea even if it kept him with Severus.

"It could work but frankly he is more likely to kill you since you've been proven a probable threat. His arrogance could be tickled into believing that you won't be strong enough to kill him but his paranoia has kept him alive," Anakin said bluntly. "No, hiding your actual threat level is still the best chance we've got. If nothing else you can be a trump card if our other ideas fail."

"It would be unwise to try the binding before this final test, however, should you choose that route," Obi-Wan cautioned. "No one can know the future, only possible paths the future may take."

The comm signaled, interrupting their discussion and Anakin cursed softly after looking at it.

"What's wrong?" Luke asked in concern.

"We've been out nearly three days. Piett must have had a med droid tending to us since we aren't dehydrated and as weak as a lothcat kitten. We just arrived at the Dagobah system. We have around 16 hours of sublight travel until we get to the actual planet. I wasn't having them push the engines so we need to nab Yoda quick in case the Emperor shows up in a fast courier but at least we have time to eat and take an actual nap if we want," Anakin explained mirthlessly.

"Then we had best get ready," Obi-Wan agreed. No one was sleepy after those nightmare dreams and they each got ready for the fight to come down on the swamp planet below.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yoda is next!


	20. Warning of Paths yet to Choose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was supposed to be part of the last chapter but the cave scene demanded to be bigger than originally planned which is why the last one might have felt somewhat incomplete. Enjoy!  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The trip down was uneventful aside from needing Anakin's more extreme flying skills to actually land them safely. They all knew that Palpatine had arrived in system from the way the married men had tensed up about an hour after landing the shuttle. They had decided to stay together as a group while Obi-Wan led them to Yoda's little hut. Luke was confused and surprised when they rounded the end of the path to find a little green troll with a walking stick standing in front of a mud hut scowling at them as they approached.

Harry considered Yoda's scowl for a moment as the group stopped in front og the small ancient Jedi Master who faced them, refusing to hide from them and the fact that he had basically been found by the Empire.

"I am sorry Master Yoda, but it was the only thing I could think of at the time," Obi-Wan apologized. His words were the first spoken between the searching group and the ancient Jedi.

"Don't apologize Obi-Wan. This old troll is just upset that people aren't dancing to his tune," Harry retorted. That scowl was something he had seen on his Uncle's face enough times to recognize what it meant. He could also tell by the way the little Grandmaster trembled slightly where he stood that Yoda was gravely ill.

"Know me you do not!" Yoda said with pointed firmness.

"Let me put it to you this way. Palpatine is a genocidal bastard, you are already dying, if given half a chance to really look at me or Severus Palpatine could figure out how to teleport or do a number of other very unpleasant things that will make him even harder to kill," Harry snapped. The situation and the knowledge that Palpatine already waited for them on the ship above making him moody. As a demonstration he apparated to land on a thick branch within sight before apparating back to where he had stood moments before to prove his point. "Now, what would you give to keep that and more from the bastard? Especially, since doing this protects the twins while we are at it? I am bound to Luke by a life debt, at least until the family bond finally dissolves it. Neither he nor I can actually hide from Palpatine all that well so the next best thing is to get him to tentatively accept that we are loyal and that we work best together as a group. Both twins are already at risk because they were major figures in the Rebel Alliance and Luke's force abilities are waking up. It won't be long before Leia's manifest as well. We either hide in plain sight or we commit to being on the run and barely escaping until we simply can't anymore."

Yoda drooped, his displeasure suddenly disappearing in the face of their choices. As many centuries as he had lived he had guided the Jedi order. He had even gone so far as to ensure the birth of force sensitive children without the risk of attachment via the death of the birthing parent. Out of all his years _this_ was the thing he found least palatable.

"Understand your reasoning I do, but like it I do not," Yoda grumbled. He was _not_ happy about this. "Safe harbor and rest need you. Work this plan must."

"If we are going to avoid sending the galaxy into a death spiral as anything more than random squabbling planetary systems when we kill Palpatine I will have to follow the Sith traditions. Palpatine will have to die from either my hand or my manipulations as I become the Sith Master and I will need to take his place as Emperor," Anakin explained, his eyes flaring yellow with dark side power. "I have convinced him to let me keep Obi-Wan as a slave which extends some protection to him. If you can manage to wound him I can find a way to finish him and become the Master. If you actually manage to kill him I become the Master because I brought you to him but I might still have to kill you to maintain continuity. The force sensitive Inquisitors and Emperor's Hands may be a problem either way unless I can get Palpatine to acknowledge that its an all or nothing duel with the winner claiming everything the looser owns and making it legal."

"Circumvented the rule of two he has," Yoda muttered worriedly. It had been millennia since some fool Sith had tried for more than one apprentice at a time without eventually killing all but one. This was not good.

"Yes, he has," Anakin agreed. "Frankly, I may have to kill them all and set up both light and dark side users from scratch. If its done right and the balance is maintained then using either the light or dark sides of the force will be a personal choice and can be swapped back and forth. A grey, middle path, will form in the process."

Yoda and everyone else but the two wizards stared at him in shock, completely unfamiliar with the idea that there might exist a middle path when it came to using the force. Harry and Severus just smirked, being the reason for the realization in the first place.

From out of the darkness four cubes suddenly shot towards them only to come to a stop floating in front of Anakin, Luke, Harry, and Severus respectively.

"Unaware of the holocrons was I," Yoda said faintly, staring at the floating holocrons in open shock along side Obi-Wan.

"Balance," Obi-Wan whispered in sudden comprehension. "Not only light or dark but _balance_. You had to know both extremes for this to work, not just destroy the way the Jedi had the light dominate for so long. Your children are unaligned. Harry and Severus have more of a magical focus and from what I can tell they are split one to each, light and dark. Yoda and I are aligned to the light. While you are currently aligned dark with Palpatine. Between the eight of us we are in perfect balance in practice and representation. Yoda is extreme light, Palpatine is extreme dark, you and I are more moderate light and dark, the twins are completely neutral and unaligned..."

"We are more grey in any case," Harry commented ruefully. "I have used dark magics but I'm more light oriented."

"While I use light and dark magics interchangeably, I am naturally more dark oriented," Severus agreed softly.

"And I," came the voice of Ashoka Tano as the Tortuga emerged from the surrounding swamp to stand with them. "Am perfectly grey using an equal balance of both within the force. Being raised in the Jedi Temple before getting stranded for a couple of years on a Sith world can do that to you."

Another holocron appeared from the same original direction as the others to take up station floating in front of the Tortuga.

"In my defense, at the time it was either strand you or actually kill you instead of only making it _look_ like I was trying to kill you," Anakin shrugged. "You were my padawan Snips, practically my own child. Incidentally, meet two of your siblings. Your sister, Leia Organa, isn't here right now."

Said siblings, Luke and Harry, quietly greeted Ashoka as a round of introductions was quickly exchanged and they all returned their attention to the stand off that had been complicated by the holocrons. After a moment's hesitation each holocron was reached for and grabbed.

"I think these need to go somewhere safe until we can kill Palpatine," Harry suggested neutrally. "I'm betting he will be able to pick up on these somehow."

"Snips? You willing to take them with you?" Anakin asked as he studied his own holocron without opening it.

"I'll keep them safe," Ashoka promised gravely as she collected them and put them in a messenger bag that no one had noticed was hanging against her back and right hip.

"Remember to wait until we're completely gone from the system," Obi-Wan reminded her. Ashoka just nodded and gave him a warm smile.

"As I said before the Hands and the Inquisitors will either have to kneel to me or die. If they kneel and accept me as their new master I can start them on learning a balance of both sides, maybe pass it off as knowing their strengths or extra training," Anakin shrugged.

"Need you deliver me to Palpatine still," Yoda commented ruefully. Anakin didn't deny it.

"I obviously can't go with you but do you mind if I...?" Ashoka asked carefully, trailing off as she saw Anakin's wide grin.

"I would actually feel better if you were watching Leia's back and training her," Anakin agreed with a mix of happiness and relief. "Having you go train Leia will work as a back up plan if everything else we can come up with goes to sithing hells."

"Right so can I go look at whatever is calling me over there?" Harry asked pointing in the general direction that Yoda knew had a dark side infused cave.

"Recommend it I do not. Go if you must. Take not your weapons, of use they will not be," Yoda advised. His eyes took on a calculating look as he watched Harry's reactions to both the call of the cave and his own answer to the question.

"I actually don't think I have much choice," Harry admitted sheepishly. Before anyone could stop him he apparated towards the cave and was quickly lost from sight as he ran from the shouts of alarm towards whatever was calling him.

It didn't take long before something gave underneath his feet sending him tumbling into a cave that practically oozed darkness. The shadows rapidly rose up, clouding his senses and guiding him further into the cave. Harry knew whatever he was going to be shown wasn't real but equally he knew it was _important_. As such he tried not to panic as he followed the gentle cool guide of the shadows wherever they were leading him.

The dark tendrils of shadow finally drew him to a stop in front of a smooth sheet of rock bracketed by roots coming down from the roof of the cave and tangling as they dangled only to anchor at random points in rock and dirt. The parallel of a giant movie screen was unmistakable and Harry muttered something rude in resignation before mentally bracing himself for whatever the cave and its darkness wanted to show him. As if sensing that Harry was ready the blank rock shivered and shimmered before fading away to a picture. The petite wizard internally cringed at the first image presented to him.

The wall showed Severus, glassy red-eyes with barely there onyx flecks scattered through the red, heavily pregnant, practically naked, and kneeling at Palpatine's feet inside some sort of study. Hanging on the wall nearby where the mounted heads of himself, Luke, Obi-Wan, and Anakin. Harry instinctively knew that the baby in a crib nearby, like the one swelling Severus' belly, belonged to Palpatine.

Harry instinctively recoiled in horror at the sight even as he barely processed the implications. What he was seeing was a total victory for the evil Emperor and the enslaved broken form of the Potions Master lacking all hope. It made him sick to his core.

The next image slowly faded in, obscuring the first one. Their little family knelt faithfully at Palpatine's feet in his throne room. Once more Severus' eyes were red but this time they had a vicious light to them except when they drifted towards Harry. Harry in turn knew that this scene was only barely any better than the last one because they were together and the Emperor was using them as warriors rather than breaking Severus completely and killing the rest of them. Just as before he knew that the dour wizard would have a child in this future but it would be allowed to live and stay with Severus and the Skywalker clan, eventually taking the throne.

The third image was different only in so much as they were all in literal chains as they were personal slaves to Palpatine and his new unknown apprentice.

The fourth image had Palpatine dead and Anakin on the throne, still very much a Sith Lord. Luke stood just behind his right shoulder as his heir and apprentice while Severus stood proudly red-eyed at his left. Obi-Wan was bound kneeling in front of the lounging new Emperor and Harry was in the same position at Severus' feet. Both slaves were clad in rich silks but looked tired. This time Harry knew that his own image was the one pregnant even as a way had been found to make Obi-Wan pregnant. The pair of them were well protected and loved and the Empire had less bloodshed and slavery but it was still a _Sith_ Empire.

The fifth one was what Harry immediately knew he wanted. Anakin was still on the throne but the rest of them stood proudly at his side. Anakin and Severus still had yellow and red eyes respectively but the darkness was tempered by the obvious love and caring they felt for Harry and Obi-Wan and the rest of their family. Leia and Ashoka were off to one side plotting happily and the entire thing had a sense of balance and peace with hope for the future. The thought of babies was a joyful one among this tight knit royal family.

Unable to help himself with this last vision Harry reached out to touch the viewing stone only to gasp as brief flashes poured into his mind. Once whatever it was had faded away he knew with absolute soul deep certainty that Palpatine had to die, Severus must never wear a collar again, and finally that Severus might have to fall to the dark again to end this war. There would be no compromise and no shielding of the dour man. Severus was the key to all five futures and it must be _Harry_ who was eventually fucked over the Sith alter rather than Severus.

Luke had followed him more closely than the others, sensing his brother's drive and concern. Unlike the rest of their family he had noticed something was wrong with Harry long before they landed on Dagobah. If the others had noticed they had probably put it down to the possibility of loosing Severus to the Emperor.

Luke had purposefully kept himself in the background ever since Leia had gone off back to the rebellion with Han, watching and learning. He was a farm boy not a politician or one of those who could wrap the slave bosses, mercenaries, and Hutts around their fingers. He had to _learn_ before getting caught up in the dangerous intrigue the Emperor was weaving around them. He had to learn _fast_ because the decrepit old man wouldn't wait much longer before dragging Luke and Harry more firmly into the mix of moves, threats, and countermoves of this deadly dance.

As a result his purity protected him from the dancing shadows until he actually entered the dark side cave. The moment he stepped inside a force barrier sprung up behind him, stopping the others from entering and flatly shocking a tired Yoda. He was completely oblivious to their calls to come back as Luke ventured further and further into the cave in search of his brother.

At one point a cloaked figure stepped out in front of him to block his path.

"Hello, have you seen my brother?" Luke asked cautiously.

"I think you mean _my_ brother but yes," Luke's own voice came back at him from the person under the cloak. The darkly clad man reached up and lowered the hood, revealing Luke himself with yellow dark side eyes.

"Do I want to know?" Luke asked flatly. As much as the scene unsettled him he was starting to get used to the strange things that happened around their family. Although, hearing stories of Harry's own unwilling adventures had helped with _that_ particular realization.

"Probably not. You, Harry, and Severus will have to make a choice soon. You can fall and let the twin bond with Leia act as your balance until the force delivers someone else to act as your partner in all ways. You can leave the burden to Harry and Severus alone. Or you can help Harry balance Severus until the Emperor is dead as he returns to darkness and acts as a shield for the rest of our family. For you this means accepting Sith training more openly but always remembering that the light is the calm over the passion of the dark. For Harry it means allowing Severus to possess him wholly, a willing slave. For Severus this means admitting to his darkness and allowing it to become one with the rest of him, in and out of bed," Dark Luke told his light counter part. "You may need to become grey and let the force choose if you get a partner that is dark, light or grey. Of course knowing you as I do it is unlikely you will ever _stay_ dark without the dark completely changing you and poisoning you. That is something that will only happen if Palpatine corrupts you so far that you would be willing to kill family and children."

"And Harry? Severus?" Luke asked, swallowing hard. "Leia?"

"Them? They are _Magi_ , natural Force Alchemists. They must establish their own balance even if you do act to help them for a time," Dark Luke told him. "Leia can't afford to be near the Emperor again. He will order her taken and force her to carry as many children as her body will allow. Then he will have our Nieces and Nephews trained to obey him blindly. Half of them will die at the hands of their siblings to prove themselves. The other half will ensure that the rest of you stay loyal to Palpatine as Severus is forced to bear him heirs. Right now Father is the Emperor's Heir, making us the Imperial Prince. There is no getting out of eventually killing both Yoda and Palpatine. As a proof of loyalty you can request to be the one to kill Yoda. You won't like it, it will hurt your heart, but it will grant more protection to our family because it will show you are turning. You can make it so that Severus never has to wear that collar the Emperor likes to see on him so much ever again. You know he hates it."

"I do," Luke agreed with a sigh. "Is there anything else I can risk requesting? Anything at all?"

"That Palpatine never willingly separates Harry and Severus or that he lets our sister go as if she were nothing to worry about. Let her stay the Princess of Alderaan only and tend to her people. The price won't just be killing Yoda but also to cut all contact with her barring a final com to explain. You can't stop him from claiming Severus and Severus won't let Harry go. You know this," Dark Luke said pointedly. Luke nodded unhappily. He couldn't argue with his dark counter part's logic.

"The life debt?" Luke asked cautiously.

"Will be dissolved into the family bond by the time you get back to the ship," Dark Luke said simply. "I am still you. Protect our family."

"I will," Luke promised.

"Harry is at the end of the tunnel. He touched one of the pictures the force showed him so he's pretty out of it. He'll be fine by the time the shuttle gets back to the Executor," Dark Luke said with a smile as he wavered and disappeared back into the force.

Luke hastily retrieved his insensate brother and carried him out of the cave. When he rejoined the rest of them Their clear worry had him sighing. When Severus reached to take Harry, Luke silently shook his head no. He wanted to be the one to carry his brother back to the shuttle.

"He'll be fine. He just touched something and it knocked him silly," Luke reassured them, smirking fondly down at his brother.

"Attachment forbidden it is," Yoda scolded sharply.

"Not anymore," Luke said blandly. How the hell did the little troll think someone would have the motivation to stay in the light and choose the moral road if they had nothing to fight for?

"Open to the dark you are," Yoda accused.

"If staying in the light means giving up love than gladly," Anakin hissed angrily.

For his own answer Severus scowled and cast a spell that had the little troll in chains, shocking the small green Grandmaster into silence. Moodily he grabbed the connecting chain and started dragging him back towards the shuttle, allowing Luke to carry Harry. True to the force vision's word Harry was fine by the time they got back to the Executor. Ashoka Tano, Grey Jedi, stayed behind, hiding among the life of the dark side tainted planet, waiting to seek out her little sister among the rebellion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the next chapter we are once more reminded how much of a sadistic bastard Palpatine is.


	21. Challenge and Reward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  _Really_ oversized chapter... Enjoy!  
>  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They arrived back on the ship a little tired from the trek and with a few artistic saber burns on their clothes only to be met by a group of the red royal guardsmen. The way Severus, Harry, and Luke were immediately grabbed had them struggling until Anakin sharply told them to stop.

"We can't afford to anger the Emperor," Obi-Wan counciled as he soothed the three captives.

"Do they have to grip so hard?" Harry complained lightly, succeeding in lightening the mood.

Confused the guards exchanged a look but let them talk for a minute as it seemed to be making the captive trio more compliant and thus made their jobs easier.

"I don't know why the Emperor didn't just tell us to come to him. He knows I'm loyal," Anakin complained as they moved down the corridor with the guards.

"Because your sons haven't sworn allegiance yet and the matter with Severus is unresolved, master. Until those parts are sorted out _you_ might be trusted but _they_ aren't," Obi-Wan reminded them ruefully, mostly for the guard's benefit. "It isn't like Luke understood you were his father before and no one knows where exactly Harry had been hidden away."

"I was already planning to show my place at my father's side. I just hope he will let me suggest it before things go too far and I'll have to pick something else," Luke said ruefully.

"Oh? What did you decide on?" Anakin asked openly happy even as his eyes were guarded with worry.

"Its supposed to be a surprise Father," Luke shot back cheekily.

"My brother, the morning person," Harry muttered ruefully.

"Its not _my_ fault you touched the force vision picture and it knocked you silly," Luke shot back playfully. "Just be glad you had the trip back to recover."

The playful banter continued all the way to the Emperor's private throne room. As the Executor was the flagship of the fleet it had been decided by the planners that there should be a dedicated area of the ship for the Emperor. This resulted in a large protected area that was mostly used as an unofficial emergency survival pod since the Emperor was rarely aboard. It could also double as a back up bridge with the only difference in layout being a throne near the observation window for the Emperor to observe the stars or the operations pits.

When they entered the room both Harry and Luke fell mostly silent as they passed through the bulkhead door into the presence of the Emperor. All of them saw clearly that Admiral Ozzel was standing smugly where Anakin as Vader normally belonged. Piett stood somewhat resignedly at his Admiral's side, locking eyes with Lord Vader only long enough to convey that he was loyal to Vader and that none of this was his idea. Quickly hidden anger was ignited as Ozzel's gaze greedily fell on Harry and Luke while the Emperor's own gaze inspected Severus for injury as they approached.

"The Jedi Grandmaster Yoda, your majesty," Harry bravely presented from his restrained position with the guards, gesturing at the small green being as Vader tossed him forwards to tumble into a small heap at Palpatine's feet.

"He didn't fight," Palpatine stated, ignoring the artistic saber burns on their clothes.

"No master, he didn't. The saber burns were my idea to help keep the crew in line," Anakin said promptly, still in his Vader persona. They hadn't thought the burned clothing would pass as signs of actual combat with how skilled Yoda was despite his obvious ill health.

"Then another test is needed. This time one for my pet. After all we really do need to consider everyone's position in all of this," Palpatine said grandly.

"Your majesty as proof of my own loyalty I would like to be the one to kill Yoda when the time comes if you don't mind? I want to stand at my father's side," Luke put in quickly. He had to make his place at his father's side known to this man if he was to help protect the family.

"And what else would you ask if you pleased me in this?" Palpatine asked curiously.

"I noticed that Severus is less willing to act in your service whenever you use that collar. I think the person Harry rescued him from used one on him often enough to nearly kill him with it. I can explain his aversion no other way and it _feels_ right. He is trying to be grateful for your attention but the collar is making it hard. Why not dispense with the collar entirely? Also as you know my sister is the Princess of Alderaan. As she has returned to her people and rejected the ways of the force why not allow her to remain so? As _only_ the Princess of Alderaan," Luke suggested. "Should the rest of us fall in battle her children can take the throne and keep the Empire stable but she will also be no threat to your majesty's rule. The Rebellion can be folded back into the Empire with relatively few concessions though none should go completely unpunished for their rebellion."

"Intriguing," Palpatine allowed. It was a pity, he had liked using that collar, but then if it really was an obstacle to him properly having his pet it would have to go. "And what would be the punishment for your sister?"

"She can be forbidden to take the throne and forbidden to have a husband or lover of the accepted rank appropriate for her station as a Princess. In fact I think I know the perfect smuggler to pair her with," Luke said wickedly.

"She will kill you if you do," Harry told his brother once he put the pieces together.

"She can try," Luke said arrogantly. They both knew it wasn't the pairing so much as the way the wedding would come about that Leia would kill them for. The attraction and building love between her and Han was unmistakable, even Chewbacca had started to plot how to make it happen.

"Give the pair of them the Wookies on top of that why don't you?!" Harry snarked. "She would rule them with an iron fist and they would only see a strong caring leader! You know she would stand up to both father and the Emperor for them."

"So? No one else will be able to keep them in line without another idiot ordering them enslaved or massacred, making them prime target recruits for any new rebellion. They are strong, smart, and will follow someone to hell and back that has their loyalty. They are the perfect shock troops once they've been swayed into service," Luke argued back. Both brothers were actually arguing to get the badly abused Wookie people under family protection rather than for further exploitation but the Emperor didn't need to know that.

"Good. Very good," Palpatine chuckled, ending their argument. "Yes, let your sister prove her worth. I will judge the results rather than the method used to bring the Wookies back into line. I accept your suggestions young Skywalker. You will give her the good news later _after_ Yoda is dead by your hand. The rebellion may re-settle under your sister's rule along with those of fallen Alderaan with only half their wages for the next ten years going to repay the damage they have done in their tantrums. Any who have been positively identified as directly party to the deaths of Imperial citizens can be challenged to mortal combat using vibroblades of some type by those wronged or a champion of those same. After surviving ten challenges within a month or ten years the rebel is no longer required to accept those challenges of honor but the wage levy remains. After the ten years, depending upon good behavior, all debts will be considered paid in full. The leaders, aside from your sister, will be publicly tortured and executed."

"We thank you for your generosity, your majesty," Luke said, bowing deeply and hating every minute of it. His actions had the guards easing back so that while they were still guarded it wasn't so close as to suffocate them.

"Your majesty, are you forgetting something?" Ozzel said quickly, not wanting to loose the chance at his own pets getting away from him.

"Ah, yes. Very well if you win the duel you may claim Harry and Luke for your pets. I want to see exactly how skilled my own pet is in combat," the Emperor agreed cheerfully, making the entire Skywalker clan tense in worry.

"He is incompetent," Vader snarled. "He isn't worthy of licking the soles of either of my son's feet! Piett keeps the ship running properly and the fleet in proper order, _not_ Ozzel."

"Than why haven't you killed him yet?" Palpatine asked mildly.

"He is a fool but a well connected fool and you asked me to limit the whining from your court," Vader huffed moodily. "He wouldn't have lasted for much longer in any case. I can't _stand_ his idiocy."

"Never the less I am granting his petition for your sons... if he wins the duel. Bring us two vibroblades," the Emperor ordered sharply. "And clear room for them to fight."

Everyone arranged themselves in a circle as Severus was allowed to step forwards and accept a vibroblade before turning to face off against Ozzel for the Emperor's pleasure and entertainment.

"Sev?" Harry asked worriedly, still stuck with the royal guards.

"Yes?" Severus asked, his tone soft but his eyebrow arched in question, turning briefly to look at his fellow wizard.

"Don't hold back. If you must use _every_ trick, light _and_ dark. I can't loose you," Harry told him softly. Severus' eyes widened in shock as he processed what his imp had told him.

"You do realize that once I let go of that leash it is very likely the Death Eater is here to stay?" Severus asked seriously, his eyes flickering with bits of red and creating the illusion of dancing flames within his onyx orbs.

"And I'm the bloody Gryffindor Golden Boy," Harry shot back with a crooked smile. "Luke... wasn't the only one to see something in that cave. I cared about the difference once... until I found out that even without the life debt you would rather see me over your knee for reckless idiocy than dead at your feet. All I'm doing is letting you know I care about _all_ of you. Sith, Death Eater, Spy, Assassin, Potions Master, Dungeon Bat, Snarky Bastard, Evil Teacher... They are still all Severus Snape. I have a good idea what loosing the leash will do and I will accept the consequences that come with it... as long as you are alive to deliver them."

"You may come to regret that," Severus growled low as he turned back to study his opponent, a vicious light entering his eyes even as red flickers danced across his orbs unnervingly. "Master are their any limitations in skill use or on time?"

"No, pet. You have free reign to play with him as you see fit. For him to win he must completely incapacitate you and then subdue his chosen pets. If he fails in either case he looses his right to both. I will be displeased if he kills you but I can always take young Harry instead," Palpatine said simply. Ozzel made a noise of protest but was mostly ignored as the rest of them hid their upset over the threat to take Harry if Severus died in the duel. It was clear that the Emperor really did just want some entertainment and a display of Severus' skill.

The command came a moment later " _Begin!_ "

A moment of stillness ensued as the two combatants studied each other, waiting for the other to strike first. Less than a full minute later Ozzel made a quick dash forwards, trying to use his stocky bulk to simply overwhelm Severus, arm angled to slash at the waist, probably in an attempt to gut the wizard despite his instructions to incapacitate. Severus side stepped the man an tried to trip him only for the fool's uncommonly good foot work to save him from a rough fall. The pair started to circle each other in the fight area, watching carefully for the next attack.

"I said _all_ of your skills, pet. I know you are capable of better," the Emperor reminded peevishly.

" _Glacius_ ," Severus barked sharply, channeling his magic through the vibroblade and adding a layer of ice to the deck near the admiral's feet even as he ignored all distractions beyond the fight.

Ozzel, seeing the change to the deck stared for a split second at the ice before choosing to avoid it and beginning to give Severus extremely wary looks. Severus just smirked with a touch of a cruel edge and stalked after his prey. Ozzel slipped closer, avoiding the icy area of the floor. A feint at Severus' left side distracted the man long enough for Ozzel to make a quick slash and draw blood along with a hiss from the suddenly furious Potions Master. It was barely a flesh wound but Severus knew he had been careless.

"You really shouldn't have done that, little mouse," Severus taunted with a dangerous saunter, eyes glittering with coming retribution as the red flickered more strongly in the onyx orbs.

"I am anything but a mouse," Ozzel snarled. "And I will be glad to break in those two. They will make a lovely picture with blood streaming down their backs. One will be crying around my cock while the other is passed out from my attentions, both of them covered in lovely bruises."

" _Crucio_!" Severus hissed in fury only for the admiral to dodge, angling in close to take a swipe at Severus's blade hand, trying to disarm him.

Severus in turn lashed out with lightning speed to catch the wrist that held the vibroblade and yank Ozzel off balance, straight into a vicious knee to the stomach. The handle of his vibroblade met the back of the admiral's neck but somehow Ozzel jerked away and out of his grip to stumble aside, wheezing. Only the slip on the icy floor kept him from immediately finding Severus's blade placed firmly in his ribs, allowing Ozzel to roll away out of easy reach.

"You won't be touching my imp or his brother," Severus informed Ozzel in open fury as they began circling again. A short phrase in a language none of them recognized had Ozzel down on his knees choking and scratching at his cloths, ripping them off of him to display quickly blossoming bleeding sores with blood bubbling and fizzing out of them to land sizzling on the deck.

"That was a particularly nasty curse," Severus explained smoothly as he approached the downed man. "First it starts boiling your blood before quickly following up with open sores. At the same time the blood gains a slight acid ability as it boils to increase the pain to the victim, burning him from the inside out. The acid aspect fades shortly after leaving the body, returning it to normal blood. The minor healing part of the curse will keep the victim alive for days until they finally bleed out or in the case of another wizard until their magic is consumed by the very painful rot that takes root to feed off of the magic. I should just let the curse kill you for your audacity but then that will still leave you the chance to touch my imp."

The duel ended with a quickly slit throat that covered Severus in blood and burned a few small holes in his clothes before the blood could revert to normal as the magic recognized the lack of a victim to torture.

Severus turned to face the Emperor and his speechless audience only to kneel and silently wait for the verdict, breathing slightly hard from the fight.

"Force Alchemy... you use Force Alchemy as easily as breathing!" Palpatine said, smiling widely in honest pleasure. He really didn't care about the dead Admiral still bleeding all over the floor.

"What's force alchemy?" Harry muttered in confusion.

"Apparently, it is what your people call magic," Palpatine answered with a laugh. "The force has gifted us with two natural force alchemists!"

"Oh kriffing hell," Anakin breathed, eyes wide in a mix of shock and concern for the two wizards.

"This... is not good. I can't believe I missed that connection," Obi-Wan groaned quietly.

Palpatine had stepped closer to the two duelists for a better look. Severus was still kneeling and covered in Ozzel's blood. A flicker of his eyes upwards towards the Emperor showed that they had settled firmly into a strong ruby red as he waited on the Emperor's verdict.

"My force alchemist," Palpatine murmured happily, as he grabbed Severus' hair and kissed him harshly on the lips, surprising the Potions Master. He could taste the dark magic on his pet's lips and savored its sweet darkness.

"Master," Severus allowed himself to moan, the siren song of the dark side of force and magic was humming through his veins, wanting him to submit to the Emperor and accept his claim.

Palpatine smirked triumphantly, he had already seen Yoda's disgust and dismay as he stood chained between two of his red guards. This was the perfect opportunity to feed the darker side of his pet.

"Show me more, pet. Yoda is a traitor of the empire, do not kill him as that is young Luke's next task, but make him suffer. I want him in _agony_. Do it, and you will get your reward, my force alchemist," Palpatine promised with dark pleasure.

A sharp look from Luke was needed to hold back Harry to prevent his reckless impulsive adoptive brother from attacking the Emperor after that little possessive display. Palpatine's dark smirk showed that he was counting on it to infuriate the smaller wizard as a way to punish them all.

"As you wish, Master," Severus whispered raggedly, retrieving his wand from Anakin's protective hold and turning to face Yoda. A cold smile graced his features as he used the cruciartus on the ancient Jedi. He knew, thanks to Bellatrix, exactly how long it could be used without mental long-term damage.

The Emperor was delighted to see the effect of this curse. It seems even more precise than his favorite dark side technique, force lightning. It was a great pity the late Ozzel had managed to dodge it during the duel.

Severus automatically followed his crucio up with legillimency. He forced his way painfully past the walls and shields in the old Jedi's mind until he slammed into a secret that had him recoiling in shock. He was deeply disturbed by the evilness he found lurking in Yoda's mind.

"Luke, your mother would have survived the childbirth and probably reunited with your father sooner or later, if Yoda hadn't intervened," Severus began in a strict monotone even as his ruby red eyes promised torture and death.

"What do you mean, Severus?" Luke demanded in a mix of shock and anxiety. Anakin and Obi-Wan had a very bad feeling about this, while Harry didn't like Severus' close proximity to Palpatine or the sound of whatever the other wizard had discovered.

"Quite simply put, centuries ago he developed a plan to increase the probability that force sensitive children would be born. Yoda along with a number of the council members and some morally flexible holocrons decided on special programing for every medical droid in existence. Using special time delayed drugs and that programing the Jedi would receive every force sensitive child without the burden of living parents. Those drugs would kill the bearer in the moment of the birthing process and often emotionally crippled the offspring for most species. In some cases it even created hate for the newborn in the sire of the children. The vacuum of loving parents would then be filled by the Jedi and the order. Collecting them was done via a law which allowed the Jedi to claim any force sensitive child with or without family consent," Severus answered flatly, trying to control his rage. "According to Yoda's mind its the same law that the Emperor uses to supply force sensitives for his forces but I can not be certain of how valid that is in part because even Yoda is only guessing at it."

"He did what?!" Luke screamed, his eyes were flashing between Sith yellow and his normal bright blue.

"Indeed, they started to poison your mother after their spies had confirmed the pregnancy. It was meant as a punishment for your father for his secret marriage with your mother and his rebellion against Yoda's master plan," Severus informed them as he closed his eyes momentarily to finally break the temporary mind link the spell had created. "This gives you the perfect opportunity to avenge your family, Luke. Without Yoda, you would still have a real family and both you and Leia would have grown up with your parents."

Luke summoned his lightsaber from the startled royal guard still holding it only to kneel in front of the emperor, blade placed sideways in front of him on the floor.

"Master, may I have the honor to kill this traitor now? Again as a sign of my devotion to my father and you as his master?" Luke asked harshly. His eyes were still switching between yellow and blue to the pulse of his throbbing anger.

Palpatine smirked, after grabbing his pet and dragging Severus to rest against his side, pondering the question gleefully. It would be most helpful to have the young Skywalker kill the vexing yet weakened Jedi Grandmaster. It would easily feed his dark side and using subtle manipulation he could increase the blood lust and satisfaction at the slaughter of one of the last Jedi.

"Go ahead, young Skywalker. It is good that you know your place and that such actions only deserve death," Palpatine decided as he pressed a few kisses to Severus' tense neck. It really was a pity he couldn't use the collar any longer.

"With pleasure," Luke snarled as he activated his lightsaber. It was time to cut up a troll. A quick slash against the restrained Jedi's small chest and it was done. After Yoda was dead Luke looked down at the small body slightly ill and horrified at his now gone anger before it dawned on him this was part of what his other self had warned of.

"Grey," Luke whispered.

"What was that young Skywalker?" Palpatine asked, having caught only part of the whisper. Turning Luke faced the tyrant and answered honestly.

"There was a cave on the planet filled with darkness that Harry fell into. I was able to go in and get him back but the force kept the others out. I met a Sith version of myself and we talked. It is apparently very difficult for me to stay wholly dark, I'm not actually sure why that is, but to protect my family I can be grey rather than light," Luke explained calmly. "For me to be consistently dark I must be so far gone that I become a danger to one and all. It isn't safe for anyone for me to be completely Sith so if I must walk with darkness I need to be grey and the force or my twin bond with my sister will keep me balanced. I didn't understand until now."

"Acceptable, so long as you do not follow the Jedi doctrine," Palpatine said tersely after a moment of loaded silence. "Return to your father's side my young prince."

Luke gave a short bow before smartly moving to stand next to his father and an increasingly worried Obi-Wan.

Harry had been terrified by the rage that had engulfed Luke's aura as he killed Yoda. It had been too close to his own temper tantrum after Dumbledore shared with him the whole contents of the prophecy. It had only been years later after talking with Aberforth about it that he had realized how much Albus Dumbledore had played them all, having them dance merrily to his tune. They had discovered as a group that it had been a set-up to ensure that Dumbledore's side would win while the old man would control the last heirs of the Bones, Longbottom, and Potter dynasty. It had just been too bad for him that Amelia Bones hadn't been present when her family was massacred and had been able to raise Susan into a critical strong young woman who never worshiped the old coot. Neville's childhood had been hell, a great-uncle who seems to be especially eager to kill him with his various magical tests, ostensibly to make certain he wasn't a squib. How had the Death Eaters even able to find the various families that had gone into hiding yet still been slaughtered? They could only conclude that each family had trusted Dumbledore and he had been the one to arrange for the security breach at each location to allow the Death Eaters in.

Coming back to reality from his brief trek down memory lane Harry studied the possessive grip of Palpatine, who still held Severus far to close for Harry's liking. The young magi didn't know what to expect next. Had Severus passed Palpatine's test or should he brace for the Emperor to punish them all for the unexpected bond between their group?

"I believe I promised you something, pet. Claim it," Palpatine ordered gleefully as he released his grip on Severus to allow him freedom to move.

"Yes, master," Severus murmured. He moved from his position near the Emperor only to stalk over to where Harry was being held back by the royal guards. His long fingers wrapped themselves into Harry's hair, wrenching his head back to take the soul devouring kiss. A wordless spell had Harry's wrists bound as he keened into the older wizard's kiss.

"Severus," Obi-Wan started towards them in warning only to be grabbed by his tunic and dragged back to Anakin's side, forced to his knees at his husband's feet.

Palpatine glanced their way but only saw Vader keeping his slave in hand before turning his attention back to his pet in time to see him drag Harry away from the royal red guards.

"You, my imp, will be staying with me," Severus growled lowly, not bothering to keep his volume down.

"If you think I'm just going to..." Harry started heatedly only to yelp in surprise when Severus' hand hit his bum.

"You will find my cock down your throat or up your arse as soon as I can manage it and your very lack of experience will tie you to my whim for eternity," Severus informed him coldly. His eyes were still red and Harry honestly wondered how much of this scene was impromptu playacting on all of their parts. Either way Severus was acting _hot_!

Of course it didn't matter if it was only acting or not, Harry was not a helpless boy and he wouldn't act like a good little slave, not even for Severus.

"I will not behave like a slave for you, Sev..." Harry began only to cut himself off with a yelp of surprise as another smack hit his bum.

"Who said anything about acting, pet? Do what I say or I'll take you here in front of my master, my defiant little imp," Severus growled with a mix of lust and dominance. "The old coot indulged you far too often during your school years. I have always said that you and your bratty friends needed a good spanking, something that I plan to rectify. Are you so eager to feel my hands on your body, imp?"

Harry gulped and looked at his friend/soon-to-be-lover, was he serious?

"You wouldn't do that," Harry stammered as he tried to stall the claiming.

"Wrong. I'm going to enjoy this and maybe I'll even give you a choice if you're a good little pet, imp. Bed, floor or shower. Choose, it is your _first time_ after all," Severus smirked with evil amusement.

"You got to be kidding me!" Harry complained.

"Not at all, imp. Choose or I'll do it for you but then again if I pick it will hurt a great deal more," Severus threatened, only half playfully. "Remember I used to be a Death Eater."

"Bed," Harry said with feigned reluctance. He really wanted Severus to finally fuck him but for the first time he still wanted a little privacy with the older man. The idea of simply being taken was rather hot as long as it was Severus and they were clear that they both actually wanted it. Both of them were stubborn so he really should have expected something like this even if Palpatine weren't hovering and Severus' emotions weren't riled because of the fight.

"I will enjoy tying you down and fucking you until you beg," Severus purred predatorially. His eyes were still red and he was imagining the sweet delight that having his pet so thoroughly was going to be. Watching Anakin and Obi-Wan being so at ease even the times they had sex was something he eventually hoped for with his imp.

Harry, his imp, would be so tight. It wouldn't be easy to take it properly slow and carefully for this first time but Severus didn't want to hurt him or terrify him overly much. He wanted to see if he was able to make his pet come just from feeling his cock in his arse. It had been years, since he had successfully managed to make one of his former lovers come from his voice or his cock alone.

Harry, who was being dragged towards the door and eventually Severus' bedroom felt the anticipation thrumming through his body. Soon, he would feel and see Severus' cock before he lost his virginity to the man he loved. Gods, he hoped Severus would be able to keep his emotions under control. Hopefully, he got the chance to top Severus at least once during the ritual without Palpatine any wiser. If they were lucky the Sith Lord wouldn't insist on staying during the whole ritual with them in the room. Well, that would be a true cock-blocker in Harry's mind.

"Enjoy your reward, pet. I will join you later," Palpatine said approvingly. "I just have to deal with a few things first and see how well my apprentice has mastered his slave."

Palpatine didn't say anything further as Severus nodded his understanding and swapped to openly dragging Harry from the room with a clear intent. He wanted his imp around his cock _before_ they had to perform for the Emperor's pleasure.

Harry had understood the implications all too well. Palpatine would sooner or later follow them for his personal delight. It would be pure torture to watch the old man taking Severus in front of Harry, while Harry would likely still be tied helplessly to the bed.

As soon as they were inside Severus' bedroom, a strong burst of magic removed their clothes and Harry felt something cool and wet in his suddenly loose arse. Looking down, he saw a clear, cool liquid trickle down his legs and understood.

"Back or stomach, imp. Choose," Severus asked with a loving smile, ruby eyes burning with passion. He knew that sooner or later Palpatine would disturb them or might even want a special performance from the magical duo but in this moment it wasn't important, only the imp in his arms was important just now.

"I want to see your eyes," Harry answered, suddenly shy now that they were going to actually do it.

"As you wish, imp. Spread your legs, wider and relax, that's it, good boy," Severus crooned, smirking as Harry followed his instructions. A thin digit slipped inside Harry's magically wet and stretched opening even as the dour man maneuvered them properly on to the bed, leaving Harry's hands bound in front of him. "I should make you lay face down and bite the back of your neck as I fuck you hard and deep this first time. Overwhelm you on my cock as I chant the binding over you so that you can't escape. I suppose I could let you watch me in a mirror and just do that any way."

"Oh god, Sev!" Harry whined at both the description and the slowly moving finger in his arse, occasionally brushing teasingly over his prostate. A second finger had quickly followed the first in stretching him again despite the magical preparation.

"You like that idea? The thought of me taking you hard and fast? Making you mindless with pleasure using my cock and teeth alone?" Severus growled low, a third finger slipping inside Harry, teasing him and stretching the green-eyed imp to perfection. "The thought that you would be so thoroughly fucked that I could do anything to you? You would be so deep in the pleasure you would never notice me locking you in a collar or tying your limbs tightly to your body. Perhaps you wouldn't even notice if I came inside you and simply slept through the night with you on my cock so that I could fuck you in my sleep? Or if the mood struck me and I wanted to fuck you awake? My gorgeous imp."

Harry just moaned in want as the three fingers roughly fucked him even more open, ensuring he wouldn't be hurt when Severus finally took him.

"You shouldn't have let me off the leash, imp," Severus whispered as his eyes flared a full fiery red with a flash of slit pupils as Harry finally came on his hand, deaf to the warning in Severus' growl of want and triumph.

Harry barely felt it when Severus moved him about on the bed, quickly cleaning him up even as Harry was lightly restrained and a pillow stuck under his arse to lift it up for easier entry when the Potions Master finally took him. A slow melodious chant started falling from the former spy's lips as he arranged his imp to his liking, his touch firm but gentle. As promised Harry was on his back and able to look into Severus' eyes when he was finally penetrated only to see dark amusement and equally dark satisfaction dance in onyx flecked red eyes as unknown words poured from the other man's lips. Something seared across Harry's chest, forcing a cry from his lips as runic markings appeared seared in red along his collar bone and sternum. Severus practically shouted the final words in triumph as the marks flared with ruby power. They flashed once only to sink into the skin as the pain disappeared, giving way to pleasure, leaving only the faintest shadow on Harry's skin as he fucked Harry in earnest.

"Cum for me," Severus demanded as his thrusts into the yielding body beneath him began to get ragged.

Harry, awash in bliss, willingly obeyed. He came hard and dragged Severus' own orgasm from him as he convulsed under the onslaught of his release. As Harry passed out the ritual finished, filling the room with another flash of power that manifested this time as a flare of white light. Severus watched in tired satisfaction as a Basilisk wrapped tightly around a jealously guarded ruby appeared over Harry's heart. He was unaware until later that Harry had marked him in return with a tattoo of his own appearing on his right shoulder blade. Harry's mark consisted of dagger with a green crystal curved blade dripping blood and a ruby in the pommel of the sturdy yet simple black leather wrapped silver handle with no cross guard.

"You bound him to you," Palpatine's voice laced in amusement brought his presence to Severus' tired attention.

"Yes," Severus agreed with tired yet dark satisfaction. He didn't even bother to pull out of his imp, pretending as if the Emperor's presence didn't matter one way or another.

"I only saw the final piece but what I did see of the ritual was _marvelous_ ," Palpatine told him happily as he approached to stand over the pair. "You know, whatever you did gave you a rather beautiful tattoo over your right shoulder blade. Was that intentional? I presume the creature and gem over his heart no less was most certainly intentional."

"He must have been more willing to be mine than I thought for a mark from him to appear on me with _that_ particular ritual. He had to be a virgin for it to work right yet I almost took him without the ritual first in any case," Severus told him with a dark chuckle.

"And what would have happened had he not been a virgin?" Palpatine asked, intrigued.

"With that ritual? A great deal of screaming pain for him during the casting and any time he would so much as brush flesh to flesh against anyone but his new master would have put him in crippling pain. With his virginity intact he will never want anyone but me and I can control who may touch him safely," Severus answered, finally moving off of his imp and pulled out in favor of sitting up properly. "It has been used as both a slave bond and a marriage bond along with a few other less definable bonds in the past but intentions are everything with this sort of thing."

What Severus didn't tell the decrepit old man about the ritual was that it also provided a general awareness of each other and a mind link that could be used to communicate in various forms at a whim, though it could be temporarily blocked. The ritual also based a great deal of the extras on their feelings for each other and while Harry could actually still fall in love with someone else having sex with anyone but Severus required Severus' permission if he wanted to be a willing participant. There was also a limited protection against being raped by anyone but Severus himself.

"Impressive," Palpatine congratulated. Severus didn't miss the man's speculative look aimed at him and Harry's new tattoo symbolizing their bond.

"One possible downside is that it prevents the bonded from being entered into another bond with the same ritual and can sometimes interfere with any other mystical bonds," Severus put in very carefully. The Emperor's disappointment was plain but went unremarked upon by either man.

"Well we will just have to make do my pet," Palpatine said wickedly before drawing Severus into a deep kiss. Severus had to stamp down hard on his revulsion and mimic a willing response while it lasted. Just as he knew that Harry didn't want anyone else Severus himself didn't want anyone but Harry. Still, this was a dangerous game they had to play.

"Did you need anything in particular?" Severus asked a few minutes after he had been allowed out of the kiss as the Emperor wandered around his quarters.

"No, I was simply checking on you, my pet. I had hoped to have you tonight but you are obviously tired from claiming your imp. I may have granted him to you but _my_ wishes will come first from now on," Palpatine said sternly.

"Of course, master. I apologize if I have seemed less than willing. The new bond with Harry has settled a great deal of my concerns with him and it ended the pulling on my magic that almost seems to have been there forever. It is less stressful and far more pleasurable to have him finally bound to me properly," Severus admitted honestly. He really did want to be seen as willing no matter how truly unwilling he was and he actually hadn't been aware of the pulling on his magic until it had ended when the marks had formed.

The satisfied smirk the Palpatine gave him told him he had said the right thing. It very much seemed like he had excused his earlier overt concern for his imp and for not being separated from Harry. Hopefully it also allowed them to dodge any punishments they had incurred since being discovered by the tyrant.

"Stay with him, ensure he is truly yours. We do not need his new brother subverting him against us," Palpatine instructed before gliding out of the room to leave them in peace for the moment. Severus gave a slow deep sigh of relief, fetched another warm wet towel to clean them both again before joining his imp in bed for the night. The first of the more dangerous hurdles had been cleared. Now they just had to deal with the _rest_ of the threats to their family but they had more time than 24 hours ago to make them truly safe as a family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Further ideas and commentary of which cave vision you prefer are welcome!


	22. Punishments and Pleasures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is _not_ safe for work!  
>  Remember Palpatine is an _Evil Bastard_ and a _Sith Master_!  
>  Enjoy!  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning the Emperor ordered that both Harry and Severus be left alone for the next week, even going so far to order a guard on their door.

"Why?" Anakin asked blankly.

"I suspect that those two may be fulfilling a prophecy but for a more practical reason I am granting them a honeymoon of sorts. Congratulations, they got married last night," Palpatine smirked evilly.

" _What_?!" the other three members of the Skywalker clan squawked.

"Yes, apparently the binding ritual Severus used to keep me from separating them doubles as a marriage bond among magicals. They will be punished for not requesting permission first, of course, but that is for later. If the pair of them _are_ part of the Sith Prophecy I know of than they can both get pregnant and their first child must be from the pair of them," Palpatine smirked, savoring their shock. "I will take great pleasure in getting many children on the pair of them should it be possible and if they can't bare children then that is no great loss as if I want a child from them the cloners on Kamineo will be quite happy to create one for me from DNA samples. I expect you to get them to help you with obtaining a child from yourself and Kenobi at some point as well whether that involves altering Kenobi or simply creating a child from samples of both of you."

"Why?" Luke asked cautiously.

"Your father is my heir but he does need his own team of Hands or similar and I see no reason not to allow them to be actual family one way or another," Palpatine said dismissively. "I did a discrete gene test on him years ago and discovered that somehow the force used a mix of my own DNA combined with others, most of which was unknown, to create your father. As such I only needed proof that he would be a worthy successor once the time came. The fact that he has proven himself and secured not only yourself but also Kenobi and our newly weds is further proof he is close to ready. There are several tasks he must recognize and complete before he can take the throne either through my death or my abdication but until that happens he can still fail and you will take his place in such a case. In any case the line of succession is secure."

Obi-Wan finally lost his temper and only Anakin's long time knowledge of the man allowed him to yank him up short and force him to his knees.

"My, I must have touched a nerve," Palpatine smiled cruelly.

"There are still things I need to teach him," Anakin said with a false glower at his kneeling husband. In truth Obi-Wan's aborted attack was the perfect excuse to keep _Anakin_ from attacking this man who had made his life hell, hatred, and bloodshed on top of robbing him of as much hope as possible. It wasn't time yet and they both knew it.

"Perhaps I should insist that he be modified," Palpatine pondered theatrically. "I hear that the process is quite painful."

Obi-Wan closed his eyes and slumped in defeat where he knelt. He couldn't do anything but show he was under his husband's control and hope for the best.

"Why? He might already have the capability considering his home planet," Anakin pointed out carefully. "I just need to get it checked but for that I need to take him to a better medical facility that what the Executor boasts as well as speak with specialists. It can wait a few years either way until Luke is properly trained and the rebellion crushed. Why risk the baby?"

"Very good, my apprentice, very good," Palpatine congratulated him on his argument. "You've always had difficulty with diplomacy and flowery speech."

"I came to the temple late," Anakin reminded the other man sourly. He hated those memories of being a slave on Tattooine.

"That you did," Palpatine agreed with a smirk. "Take your slave and discipline him properly for his out burst. Young Luke will go with your new Admiral Piett and become more familiar with his future military duties as the Imperial Prince. _I_ will check on our newly weds."

They watched in dread as he left them to their assignments to go visit Harry and Severus with a slight detour to the med bay and the quartermaster. They knew that the two wizards were going to be punished for not getting permission to marry and use the bonding ritual.

Palpatine wondered where his pet had gotten to as he wandered around the joint Skywalker quarters only to stumble upon Severus fucking the toy brat. It sparked an idea in his head as he approached the occupied pair. A pressed hand against his pet's neck stilled his movements and forced him down over Harry, shielding the smaller form from the Emperor's perusal. A quick check showed that his pet was still ready for him, as instructed when breakfast was delivered. Palpatine smiled with dark satisfaction and debated with himself whether to let his pet pull out of the little wizard or simply take him as is with Harry already impaled on his pet's cock? Decisions, decisions.

A grip in dark hair and a yank pulled Severus up far enough for the Emperor to take his pet's lips harshly as his other hand opened his own robes to pull out his imperial cock. When he allowed his pet free enough to breath he thrust home with a harsh grunt and a cry from both pet and toy. Not bothering to be generous he immediately set a brutal pace, using the force to act as a cock ring on his pet as one hand yanked harshly on his pet's dark locks, forcing him into an upright position, back bowed, as Palpatine took what was rightfully his.

Severus moaned as he felt the double sensation of impaling and being impaled, barely feeling the version of the force choke applied to his cock. The pull of his hair being used as reigns and bending his back into a bow had him driving deeper into Harry. Harry, his imp, had been both gagged and bound with rope and a cock ring so that all he could do was take Severus' cock long before Palpatine had come upon them. Distantly he could hear the muffled sounds of Harry's begging but the moment Palpatine had joined them Severus no longer had the right to direct their encounter.

"Drink," Palpatine ordered, slowing just long enough to not spill the aphrodisiac that he was feeding to his pet. Barely coherent from the wash of sensations Severus obeyed, swallowing down the goblet of drink and drug. He never felt the silken rope levitated and maneuvered by using the force to wrap its self around his and Harry's legs, tying them together at the thigh and connecting his knees to Harry's bound ankles. Considering Harry had been tied ankle to thigh and wrists to elbows behind his back it was the only way to tie their lower halves together.

"By the time we are done you will be in a sort of heat," Palpatine hissed gleefully into Severus' ear. "I've tied you to your toy so that he can give you some relief but only _I_ will be the one to fill you. Before we are done with this in the weeks to come I expect you both to fall pregnant. I don't care how exhausted the two of you get or how much it burns in your blood. You _will_ give me children."

The Sith immediately redoubled his brutal pace, using the Force to enhance his endurance, even as his cock acted as a counter point and dragged choked screams from both wizards. He also stopped choking back Severus' orgasm with the force, relishing in the way the snarky Potions Master bucked and came inside Harry and around his own swollen cock. Not caring to stop he brutally fucked his pet through the orgasm, relishing in the whimper and whines from the over stimulation, finally gleefully coming inside his pet.

Palpatine didn't bother pulling out and the rope kept his pet inside the still begging toy. He could tell when Severus started getting hard again and smiled cruelly as his own cock twitched in anticipation of his pet's heat.

"If I catch you trying to find relief in any way beyond fucking your toy or taking my own cock I will dose your toy and give him to the guards to break. He won't find relief in any case because the drug I have for him will only accept _you_ or me as any kind of antidote. If he goes long enough without one of us once dosed it will first become permanent for him to feel pain at another's touch beyond ours and then it will eventually kill him. You will also go without him around your cock for the scant relief that will provide. Do you understand pet?" Palpatine asked sweetly as his cock slowly filled again for another round.

"Yes, master," Severus gasped out as he felt how hard the very idea was making the tyrant. He could feel Harry around his own rapidly swelling cock, begging for relief, even as he felt the Emperor slowly beginning to fuck him once more.

"If you are good I will give it to him later and let you bind him to your touch alone," Palpatine said evilly.

They both knew it wasn't really a reward yet Severus still stuttered out a thanks as he was slowly fucked and the heat drug raged through his system. By the time Palpatine lazily came inside his pet a second time Severus had come three more times, whining around the Emperor's cock even as his body desperately demanded more sex.

A hand snaked around Severus' neck to hold him by the throat as he was dragged back up against the Emperor's clothing clad chest, royal cock still embedded in his arse.

"Congratulations my dear pet, you're going to be a father. The next time you hide something like your fertility from me again I will kill the brat that your toy is breeding for you in front of you both, possibly by ripping it from his still screaming body," Palpatine said calmly as he restricted Severus' breathing with a clawed hand. Severus' eyes were blown wide as he gasped for air through a half closed throat, the surge of adrenaline, and the remains of his recent orgasms.

"Yes, master," Severus rasped out tightly.

" _No one_ but me fucks this ass until you've given me as many children as I desire. I will allow you to keep your little toy _husband_ but make no mistake he and any children you might have with him are _expendable_ ," Palpatine hissed into his ear. He punctured his demands with more brutal thrusts from a newly hard cock combined with a tightening of his grip around Severus' fragile throat. Severus wasn't allowed to breath normally again until the Emperor came inside him a third and final time in several torturous hours.

Severus whined and gasped as he was both finally allowed to breathe and cut off from coming by the same modified force choke from earlier. Palpatine chuckled evilly and pulled out only to cruelly shove in a slightly too large butt plug that he had summoned earlier in place of his cock, dragging a ragged yelp from his pet.

"I will have guards come by and take your toy's mouth from time to time if I don't send someone else. Should they want his ass or his cock they can have it as long as your cock stays inside him when they fuck him," Palpatine informed his pet cruelly. "Until your heat is over both of you are mere toys and you are stripped of your privileges."

"H-How m-many ch-children, M-Master?" Severus stammered, hoping that the answer would only be 1 or 2 but after hearing Palpatine's gleeful chuckle at his question he wasn't going to bet on it.

"I haven't decided yet, pet. Disobey me and I'll punish you both. The next time I will ensure that your touch will shock your brat with force lightning. I don't think that it will be necessary quiet yet. Am I right, Severus?" Palpatine laughed evilly, rejoicing in the horrified look of his pet.

"N-No, Master. I'll be good," Severus replied brokenly.

"Your heat will end as soon as you're both with child, my dear Severus," Palpatine told him gleefully. "Food will be delivered periodically for the both of you and a med droid will attend you both regularly since I would rather not risk the eventual children until it becomes necessary. Enjoy the rest of your _honeymoon_."

"Yes, master," Severus tried not to sob as the Emperor finally left them alone. Tied together with the drug raging through his body and his husband at the mercy of his drugged lust Severus ruthlessly used his Occlumency skills to ease some of the burning need. A few special sex related spells combined with the liberal use of cleaning spells would keep them both unharmed and largely unsoiled by natural processes during this obvious punishment. He briefly reached forwards to release the gag Harry had on so that they could talk even if they couldn't separate for the moment.

"Sev?" Harry finally rasped out, his mouth free of the gag.

"I can control it for periods of time using Occlumency at the cost of being unable to control just about anything else but not when anyone is with us," Severus told his husband quietly. Now that the Emperor had admitted to seeing through his earlier ruse there was no point in denying that they were married.

"Too much risk," Harry agreed quietly. "We _have_ to kill him."

"I know," Severus said quietly. "He _will_ be back."

"From the sound of it he plans to get us both pregnant as fast as possible," Harry agreed wryly. "Can we fake it?"

"No, I recognized some of the herbs in that potion he fed me. It triggered a sympathetic response in my magic. It won't be the potion but the magic which decides when we are done and both pregnant. The potion was developed as an emergency measure to counter a near extinction that occurred in the late 1600's for several magical communities. There was some movement between the communities but not enough to save them without the potion. The Weasleys are one of the families whose magic was susceptible to binding with the potion permanently increasing the family's fertility. Neither my ancestors nor yours were exposed to it so I don't know if this will only be a temporary boost or a permanent increase making most preventative measures useless," Severus explained. He was exhausted and now that the lust wasn't driving him to fuck like rabbits he just wanted to sleep. Unfortunately that would involve releasing the unnaturally tight hold he had on the effects of the drug and they would be back where they started.

Using the last part of his strength, Severus freed Harry from his own magical ties, he couldn't risk destroying Palpatine's but at least this would make it a little easier for his imp. Harry had softened slightly once the cock ring had been removed and Severus could only guess that Palpatine's inclusion had put off his husband, not that he blamed his imp.

"I'm so sorry, imp. I only wanted to protect you. This is my fault," Severus murmured morosely.

"Not your fault," Harry rasped reaching up behind him, to hug Severus for a little comfort.

"It's my fault. I should have known he would be targeting you for _my own punishment_. Maybe we can convince him that you can return to Leia it would be better for the child you probably have growing inside you and he would only focus on me," Severus replied tiredly.

"No, I won't leave you alone at his mercy. He will break you if you're left on your own with him, Sev. Don't do that to me. We will have a child, Severus. A little boy or a little girl who needs their daddy. _I_ need you. Please, Sev," Harry pleaded.

"Are you sure, Harry? I don't want you caught in the crossfire. I can handle his mood swings but I want you and our child to be safe. Promise me, whatever happens, you will put the safety of our baby first and if you can flee - no matter when or how, do it. I'll be fine, Harry, but I need to know that you would be safe elsewhere," Severus appealed to Harry's common sense.

"He won't have the chance," Anakin said sadly from the doorway and the rest of their family entered their room. Harry let go of Severus and returned to all fours, glad in a way that he still had Severus tied to him both via cock and the silk rope that Palpatine had put on them.

"What did he do?" Severus asked flatly, sitting back as much on his heels as possible to look at them.

"Leia... she's got a new bodyguard," Luke said, refusing to meet his brother-in-law's gaze.

"We can only visit for short periods each day. I think he expects us to see you hurting Harry or at least ruthlessly using him from what he told us of the drug, obviously that's not the case," Obi-Wan observed. No one commented on their current position, knowing that if they had permission the pair would be following basic courtesy and propriety.

"Only because I am a master of mind magics and can suppress the effects of the drug for a time," Severus reminded them testily.

"He's threatened to use it on Obi-Wan. Luke is in his favor still for taking the initiative and asking to kill Yoda before following through," Anakin sighed. "He also expects children from us one way or another."

"I don't understand. His own age should keep him from seeing them to adulthood by now so what is the point?" Severus frowned. Harry subtly shifted and squeezed, wanting to be fucked again and to finally come, something he had to viciously resist responding to.

"He expects either Luke or me to complete the Sith tradition. In his own twisted way he's getting us ready to take over," Anakin admitted with a grimace.

"He must know that with you healed its only a matter of time until you strike especially now that you have us," Obi-Wan concluded sadly. "Unless he thinks he's found a way to remain immortal and alive."

"Oh fuck, not again!" Harry moaned. "Where the hell would we even find the damned horcruxes if he used that stupid ritual?!"

"Calm," Severus instructed sternly, placing his hand soothingly on Harry's back. "I very much doubt that he would have access to that one. It would have to be some other form of attempted immortality."

"Thank god! Those things weren't just abominations they were a bloody pain in the _arse_ to destroy!" Harry exclaimed in relief.

"If you don't want to watch me fucking my brat you might want to leave. I can't hold the drug back for much longer," Severus warned. Their conversation had worked well as a rest period but now the drug was surging viciously after being denied. The others quickly took their leave and left the pair alone.

Very carefully letting go of the effects of the drug after spelling Harry once more full of lube, despite all of his earlier seed already in place, Severus breathed deeply before giving in to the urge to utterly claim Harry once more.

"Mine!" Severus snarled before fucking into Harry harshly, dragging a hoarse cry from his small husband. The silk rope kept him from pulling out properly to get enough leverage but it just made him more ruthless with the short jabs he could manage as he dragged Harry back up against his chest and simply started jabbing upwards into his imp. The bouncing was enough, barely. His arm had wrapped around Harry's chest while his hand went to the fragile neck, holding the smaller wizard securely against him even as his teeth found Harry's shoulder, marking him yet again.

"I'm going to fill you again and again until you are _bulging_ with my seed and my child!" Severus growled as his harsh thrusts turned nearly brutal. He knew with how many times he had already come that it was unlikely, even with his painfully hard cock, that he would fill his imp yet again any time soon. Still he plowed hard and fast into his Harry, driving his claim home in the most primal of ways. It would be several more hours and a number of orgasms for both of them, more for Harry than Severus, before they both finally collapsed in exhaustion.

The next time they were allowed to visit they found the pair barely conscious.

"Can you check please, if we are already with child?" Severus asked tiredly. Only his long time experience with the mind arts kept the drug at bay just as it had briefly the day before but even his strength would falter sooner or later.

Anakin and Obi-Wan solemnly nodded and used the force to check both newly weds.

"Harry is pregnant with your child but you aren't pregnant, yet," Obi-Wan told them quietly.

"We need to eat and drink, before the next cycle starts," Severus told them, already shivering from the second day of side-effects from the drug. It would only get worse if he didn't find any release soon as they had found out the hard way the day before.

Palpatine was a true sadist.

Silently the group ate and drank with the trapped pair before they left the two force alchemists alone.

"S-so-sorry so s-so-sorry," Severus stammered as he felt his cock harden once more only to find himself thrusting again and again into Harry's tight heat. Tears were running down his face as they were both once more sucked under by the drug. When would this hell end?

Three days later both wizards were too tired to even move as Palpatine entered their shared quarters yet again. This time he was followed by a med-droid who checked both men and confirmed their pregnancies.

"It is over now, pet. Both of you are with child. I hope for your sake that you have both learned your lesson," Palpatine informed them coldly. Using the force to free them from their bounds and roughly clean them before hoisting Severus into his arms.

"Relax, my force alchemist. You will stay with me. While my apprentice and his family will check on your toy. And tonight you will sleep in my bed," Palpatine said softly.

Severus forced himself to meet the other man's gaze tiredly and shove the memory of the speech he had given the man in their dreams down the barest whisper of a link he managed. The Emperor needed to know the risk he had run with this punishment if he didn't already know, dreams were like that some times.

"Then don't make me break you, pet," Palpatine said cruelly with a soft croon in answer to the warning. Severus closed his eyes and went limp in exhausted surrender.

Too worn out to even twitch Harry had been forced to watch the exchange before the Emperor carried his husband away. The punishment was over and the pair of them would have to recover before they could start to figure out a way out of Palpatine's grip.

"Tomorrow, we will be going on a little expedition, some special bonding time. It will only be you, me, and a few of my most loyal red guards, my dear Severus," Palpatine hummed after reaching his quarters, where a hot steaming bath awaited the Emperor and his pet.

Severus barely managed not to flinch as he was stood up and roughly stripped by the other man just inside the bathroom.

"If you are especially well behaved I will allow your toy to sleep at the foot of our bed but that is a privilege," Palpatine purred as they slipped into the warm water together.

Severus didn't even try to resist Palpatine's ministrations. He only wanted to sleep. Feeling the imperial cock at his entrance he obediently spread his legs to allow Palpatine to slide once more into his well-explored tightness. Caressing the captive wet body and kissing his neck, Palpatine enjoyed his dominance over his force alchemist.

The taming phase was almost complete. He had successfully impregnated his pet and very soon he would increase his absolute hold over Severus when he confronted him with a certain forgotten palace upon Coruscant. He would let his pet keep the toy if only for the strong children they would give him together but his pet would not be allowed to grant the toy anything beyond the basics of being a toy. Once this first child was born the toy would be dosed and trained to his touch as well as Severus' and neither would ever escape his bed much less his hold.

Palpatine thought that he might have to inject the nightmare drug again, after his first child was born, or after they were sure that there were no unwanted side-effects which would result from its usage on his pet while pregnant. This older form of taming would be more binding than the other drug and had been used for centuries on pets and slaves. Thankfully, at the moment neither drug was necessary. The next step would be the claiming of his pet over the Sith Altar in the Imperial Palace. Yes, he would achieve it, while at the same time the Skywalkers were forced to watch in silence. One of his loyal hands already guarded young Leia and as soon as Leia's first child was born that very same child would be brought directly to the Palace, where it would be raised by his pet.

Losing himself in a future vision the Emperor couldn't suppress a smile at the picture of a new and improved royal family. Instead of the hated collar his pet sported a tattoo that confirmed Palpatine's ownership. Around them were their numerous offspring, including Leia's first child and Harry's children with Harry himself sat on the floor off to one side tending to most of them. Leia's firstborn was in Severus' lap and hid his head in Severus' robe as he listened to a quietly crooning lullaby from the man that held his small form safely in his arms.

Realizing that Severus had already been asleep for a few minutes the Emperor carefully slid out of his pet and dried them with some levitation help from the force. He next carried his pet to their shared bed, where he slipped underneath the covers and dragged the sleeping Potions Master into his geriatric arms. As far as the Sith Master was concerned this was pure bliss.


	23. Outside Interference

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again a warning that Palpatine is an Evil Bastard!  
> Enjoy!  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It took a few weeks of delay for the promised private time with just the Emperor and his guard to actually be arranged because of security concerns and travel time to the chosen planet. During that time though Severus had managed to earn back having Harry in easy reach constantly. Only the Emperor and Severus knew how he had managed that and nobody asked for fear of what had been required. The Emperor decided to arrive ahead of his pet to make certain that everything was ready for their... _date_. He never expected the shuttle carrying Severus to suddenly disappear en route.

Severus groaned as he came around after some sort of gas knocked him out part way to the planet. Dizzily he tried to look around only for his eyes to latch on to a lightsaber connected to a belt and scan upwards to settle on the face of a young male that seemed to be some type of plant.

"Have no fear, you and your babe are safe here," the tree-man told him softly.

"You don't understand," Severus rasped. He knew just from the lightsaber and the knowledge of the baby so early in the pregnancy that this being was a Jedi or at least a force user.

"I know that the Emperor will rip the child from you and either force you to watch as the babe is slain or turn the little one to the dark side. That is all that I need to know to rescue you from his grasp," the tree-man told him gently.

"And what of my pregnant husband and babe he carries?" Severus laughed harshly. "Vader can not protect him for much longer nor the others he shields. Keeping Kenobi alive alone nearly cost him the death of one of his own children! Or did you really think that Anakin Skywalker became Vader _willingly_? If so you are a fool!"

"The slaughter of the younglings and the rest of the temple..." the tree-man argued in a fading tone that shifted to doubt.

"He didn't explain himself to me but whatever he told Kenobi kept both of them from drawing sabers and instead turning to plot the Emperor's downfall. Something that Yoda sacrificed himself for less than two months ago," Severus snarled, surging up only to weakly flop back down on the bunk he was in. "I have to go back!"

"He lies!" a scruffy young woman that was dressed in grease covered coveralls with a belt and pockets full of tools snarled right back from the doorway.

"Calm, dear one, calm," the Jedi soothed the mechanic that was barely older than a child. "Kenobi... Jedi Council Master Kenobi?"

"Yes, or at least he originally trained Anakin Skywalker in the Jedi arts. It was whatever stupid prophecy you all believed in that screwed things up and the fact that the Emperor had access to him since before he arrived at the temple completely without mental shields," Severus grunted tiredly.

"That would do it," a new voice from the _other_ doorway drawled. A glance from underneath his eye lashes proved that the speaker was a male human standing cockily in the door way in a vest pants and with a gun belt holding a blaster on his hip, brown hair going from grey towards white.

"Knight Frenze," the tree-man acknowledged.

"Knight Junip," Frenze nodded back.

"In answer to your demand to return... No, the child you carry is too strong. The babe must not remain in reach of the Sith Master," Knight Junip told him flatly. "Grandmaster Yoda's decisions have guided the order for centuries and his authority on this matter stands. The child will be raised as a Jedi."

Severus stared in disbelieving shock as the other Jedi nodded his own agreement. Deciding to take a chance at convincing them to see reason a different way the Potions Master told them things he had learned from his mental attack on the doomed Yoda.

"Vader's wife was poisoned on Yoda's order because Vader dared to defy him and chose love over what he saw as an empty commitment to the order," Severus told them flatly. "The old troll wanted her dead because he knew she was the only one who kept him in balance. Vader, Anakin Skywalker, was a former slave child who latched on the first persons, who showed him proper kindness and helped to set him free, a Jedi-master, his padawan, and the former Queen of Naboo. He was tormented with visions of her death and that of his mother for weeks on end in both cases because nobody cared enough to show the young man how to correctly shield himself from such malevolent influences. All for what? To keep control over a corrupt government? To brainwash the next generations of Knights and Padawans?"

The two Jedi tried to interrupt, but a strong magical outburst bound them all to the bulkhead across from his bed. Pinned mid-way between floor and ceiling there was no obvious way they were being restrained and their shock was almost comical.

"You will watch these memories and learn what your council, especially Yoda, had planned centuries ago to keep control over the galaxy, even if it costs the life of millions of innocents," Severus hissed in fury before forcing them to watch the stolen copies of Yoda's memories. " _That_ is the Jedi order you have so valiantly defended!"

Severus slumped tiredly back on the bunk, breathing heavily, but knowing that he had to return to Palpatine quickly or Harry and their unborn child would pay the price for his disobedience and disappearance.

"You have to send me back, or he will kill my unborn baby and punish my husband. I can't risk them," Severus appealed desperately to the compassion and the common sense of his abductors.

The mechanic spat on the floor, showing her disdain for his appeal and a bone deep hatred that shined in her eyes.

"Don't you see? He will rip the galaxy apart until he finds me again even if I were willing to leave with you and then he will not hesitate to punish not only me but our family for any perceived wrongs," Severus tried a new angle. His hands hovered unconsciously over his pregnant body, barely a month along. "To ensure that my husband would not be executed by the Emperor as a threat against the Empire we were forced to accept not only his adoption as Vader's son but also the loss of both our freedom to the Emperor's whim. Since then he has tested us five, the entire remaining Skywalker Clan, practically daily with some times impossible tasks and harsh punishments. After learning that my husband and I are capable of carrying children he demanded that we give him as many of our babies as possible or the consequences would be dire. He allowed me to claim my husband according to our traditions but was angry that our ritual resulted in a marriage bond. He hadn't allowed us to bond on that basis. Since we have been in his custody he has looked for ways to destroy our bond. Especially as I was originally bound to my husband as his protector and mentor."

"You're just a whore," the mechanic sneered. "Who's kid is that growing inside you? Your husband's?"

"Palpatine's... it was part of our punishment for not asking to get married before doing so," Severus admitted looking away from them. He knew informing them the the Emperor was the other father was a gamble but he couldn't think of another way to explain how hard the Emperor would look for him and how many would probably be killed in the rabid search other than to tell them part of the truth.

"We most certainly can't allow you to return," Knight Frenze said sadly. "The child must not fall to darkness and if we must keep you a prisoner to assure that then we will. Whatever the cost it is for the Greater Good of the Galaxy."

It was in that moment when he heard the term "Greater Good" that he knew the Jedi brainwashing went too deep. Not only would they never let him or his child go they would turn his little baby into an assassin masquerading as a peace keeper, brainwashed into the Jedi doctrine from birth. His panic must have traveled down the marriage bond he had with Harry because he felt concern travel down the bond, trying to soothe him as his accidental magic silenced his trapped captors.

"Jinn? Where are you darling?" came a deep voice laced with playful dark amusement.

The voice was followed up by a big deeply tanned man clad in a dark green jumpsuit with the long sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a peach fuzz in place of hair along his scalp. The playful look on his face disappeared as he took in everyone's position and the glaring eye daggers the small mechanic had aimed at Severus.

"Whatever you did you'd better damn well reverse it, hell spawn!" the big man snarled deeply as he turned on Severus' vulnerable form.

Wide eyed and projecting terror down the link to Harry he covered his stomach protectively as he remained silent in the face of the man's anger. The flash back to his own father doing something similar when he tried to help a fallen baby bird that one time didn't help.

Growling low over Severus' lack of response the big man reached for the wizard who in turn tried to fight off the grip. This degenerated into a proper scuffle but a lucky shot to the groin from Severus enraged the bigger man and he started pounding on Severus, aiming for as much of the soft tissue of the stomach as possible as the only soft target his opponent was hellbent on protecting. The scream of magic and the force echoed down the link and around the room when the fetus died, instantly killing his captors and giving Harry a direction to send the rescue party in.

Only to wake up in absolute terror to the two Jedi from his dream standing over him and the young mechanic off to one side looking at him with anxious curiously but fiddling dangerously with the blaster in her hands.

A glimpse of a shared memory echoing in the eyes of the rogue Jedi showed Frenze, Jinn, and Junip had their own spies on board the Executor in Palpatine's court. It hadn't even been very hard for them to learn about the group of men who had caught Palpatine's fancy, especially the dark haired and dark eyed man who had been claimed officially by the Emperor as a pet. Rumors had it that he was married to a secret son of Lord Vader and that Palpatine would do practically anything to keep the young man in close vicinity. The marvelous information that he seemed to be able to get pregnant and the child, which he currently carried, had already showed the first signs of controlling the force for all that the babe was as yet unborn.

After a secret council the group decided that they would abduct the young man at any cost and keep him imprisoned in one of their secret bases. It wouldn't do to have such a powerful child growing up in Palpatine's shadow. The father of the child could further be used to repopulate the Jedi Order, once he was convinced that this was the right decision for the Greater Good of the galaxy.

Luckily for the rogue Jedi the Emperor had planned a special trip/date for his young lover to a special planet and a nearly forgotten palace. As it was the entire thing was usual for the old tyrant, he always arrived early to his destination. It was one of the best opportunities they would get to successfully retrieve parent and child. They only needed one of their people in charge of the shuttle or as a medic at the landing base, before using either the gas or the drug to knock the young man out without harming his baby.

"We will win, and made him see the light," Frenze concluded, ending the meeting.

"We will win!" the rest of the group agreed as they swarmed out to prepare for their most important mission, the kidnapping of one Severus Snape.

"You won't touch my baby!" Severus cried out, doubling over to protect the tiny life growing inside of him as he violently pulled free of the disturbing memory. "I won't let you! I'm going back to my husband and you won't stop me!"

"We will keep both the child and the... mother with us, it will take time to remove the compulsions of the Sith Lord, but we will be successful," Jedi Frenze commented to the others, ignoring Severus' outburst. "Grandmaster Yoda would have wanted us to protect this one and make him part of the order's special medical section in the acquisition department."

"Escape is pointless, my young friend, we have already blocked your skills and I do apologize for the missing memories as we had to drug you to rescue you," Knight Junip told Severus gently in a misguided attempt to soothe him.

"The force has indeed given us the tool to renew our order," Frenze agreed happily, stressing Severus even more than the dream-vision or the memory he had accidentally viewed just moments before.

This couldn't be true! He wasn't be willing to become a breeding slave just because most of the Jedi had completely lost their marbles and he had the misfortune to learn directly from the mind of Yoda _exactly_ what that part of the acquisitions department of the temple did.

"Keep him down. We have to inject the drug to make him see the light of our wisdom. Taking him from the med center obviously confused him and he needs to be freed immediately," Junip ordered calmly, freaking Severus out.

Suddenly Severus looked up towards the bulkhead. He had been forced to sit up straight in an attempt to pin him properly flat on the bunk. He had also felt the force in the back of his mind, Palpatine was close and... oh, no, Obi-Wan and Vader were with him!

"You need to disappear at once! Leave me! The Emperor will kill you all. He would never forgive this insult. If you want to survive then you need to listen to me. He's coming and he isn't alone," Severus insisted, even as he tried to conjure a small shield to force them back and keep them at bay as he struggled in the grip of the two older Jedi.

Before he had any kind of success, a shot echoed from the blaster that the young anxious mechanic, who he now realized was also a Jedi with a lightsaber on her belt, had been fiddling with and managed to hit Severus square in the stomach. Disbelievingly, Severus stared at the blood on his fingers, he felt the death of his child in soul deep way only to scream his fury and despair into the night as the force echoed his pain.

Harry had felt Severus' despair and apparated blindly, following their marriage bond straight into the room. Before the Jedi even had a chance at recovering from their shock over the blaster shot he immediately disarmed them all and bound them magically before turning to try and soothe Severus, who stared in shock at his bloodied hands. Earlier, before entering the shuttle Severus had felt the mind of his baby for the first time. Palpatine had even softly caressed the small bump in a proud possessive sort of way. Now? Nothing, hopelessness, death.

Palpatine was the next to appear in the room and without a single thought to the bound prisoners he glided to his pet only to fold him into an embrace, attempting to comfort the shocked Potions Master. He was careful of the wound as they tried to stop or at least slow the bleeding.

"The baby... they killed my baby. Why? Why would anyone do something like that?" Severus murmured brokenly, his red eyes glassy and dead. Gentle hands, completely unfelt by the man they worked on, acted to stop the bleeding and lay him back down on the bed. For once Palpatine and the Skywalker clan worked as one to save someone precious to them all.

"Sleep," Obi-Wan's murmured force suggestion sent him into blissful oblivion.

When Severus woke he was back in the bed he shared with Palpatine and Harry. The dull throb in his abdomen told him that it hadn't been a dream... he had lost the baby. A soul wrenching sob escaped from between his lips as he broke down wailing at the loss. His cries summoned the others from the sitting room as he suddenly found himself surrounded by his family and Palpatine.

Palpatine had ordered them back to the Executor after Severus was sent to sleep. They all understood that he would need medical help and that later those 4 traitors, for they had been found to be Imperial technicians hidden in plain sight, would be dealt with. The Emperor also secretly believed that this was the perfect way to test the Skywalker clan on their loyalty to family and to the Empire. Harry had even been given permission by Palpatine to stay with his husband for the duration of the medicinal treatment while everyone else was told they would all be staying with Palpatine and the two wizards for most of Severus' recovery period.

Severus was gently held by his family as he cried, wailed, and called for the baby so briefly known through magic and the force alone. It was the baby inside Harry that did the most good by the end of the week, calling out for its daddy and not wanting him to be sad. As a result while Severus' stomach healed he became overprotective of Harry almost to the point of paranoia until he was fully healed and the remaining baby was nearly three months along.

"Pet?" Palpatine asked softly as they got into bed for the night, Harry tucked securely in the middle of the bed. Both of them were looking at Severus who was pacing nervously nearby.

"I'm not ready for another baby other than the one growing inside Harry but..." Severus hesitated only for Harry to smile brightly.

"You want us to stop treating you like glass!" Harry said with a bright laugh.

"Just for that you'll find my cock inside you by morning!" Severus glowered, threatening without any real heat or intent. His tension eased out of him as he started to feel like he was getting back to normal. That was the start of things going back to normal or what passed for normal in the Skywalker Clan under the control of the Sith Master. 

The reactions by the rest of the family had been exquisite.

> _ **Flashback** _
> 
> _Severus had been sedated and brought to Palpatine's quarters as the most protected place on the ship, where the young Potions Master would have a chance to recover. Harry had gotten a promise from Palpatine that if he proved his own dedication to Palpatine's cause and service he would be allowed to share Severus' bed again permanently as a sign of Palpatine's goodwill._
> 
> _Entering the Prison section Palpatine was accompanied by Vader, Harry, Obi-Wan, Luke, and Admiral Piett as they went to visit the prisoners._
> 
> _Piett growled lowly as they walked, he had found Severus to be a good friend and those cretins had dared not only to abduct him but to kill his unborn child. No, they would pay for their crimes, especially those against Severus._
> 
> _"Admiral, is everything set up for the live transmission for all known planets in this galaxy?" Palpatine inquired coldly as they entered the room to see the three Jedi bound against the wall and gagged._
> 
> _"Yes, my Emperor. It wasn't easy but we have managed the connection. Your citizens will be able to see and hear everything that will occur in this room," Piett answered firmly, bowing respectfully._
> 
> _"Your majesty, it would be advisable to allow Severus forget anything regarding the baby and the last few months. His mind is too vulnerable at the moment, otherwise the risk is too high for him to sink into a crippling depression which could further lead to thoughts of suicide," Obi-Wan pointed out humbly. He too was glaring at their captives though he didn't allow his fury to touch his connection with the force._
> 
> _"What then should happen with those traitors? These scum who are responsible for the loss of our_ firstborn _child?" Palpatine snarled, completely enraged._
> 
> _"Why not let us make it public how far the Jedi have fallen? This despicable crime obviously has to be punished but if we explain exactly what they did and the fact that their punishment is for their actions not just their status as Jedi. Let's see how willing the civilians are to hide the rogue Jedi or give them support and lodgings once they know that the Jedi are willing to abduct and even kill innocents," Vader, for Anakin had become the Sith mask fully in his own rage over the death of the baby, stoically offered. Anakin wouldn't resurface properly from being Vader until weeks after the death of the rogue Jedi trapped in front of them. The Jedi who would die in pain and terror._
> 
> _"Your Majesty, let me be one of their executioners! They hurt my husband, killed the baby, they would have used him as a breeding slave, and broken him completely if we hadn't found him so quickly. This has to be punished severely," Harry hissed as he bowed in front of the Emperor and growled in direction of the nearby restrained rogue Jedi._
> 
> _"And how exactly will you do that, young Skywalker, without risking your own child? I will not allow anything that would stress my pet further," Palpatine rebuked._
> 
> _"Your majesty, I am sure you haven't forgotten that I have similar skills as my dear husband. Something I would greatly enjoy showing these scum as the consequences of messing with my family," Harry told him as he emitted a cold and deadly aura. It was a near perfect mimicry of the very same aura that death exuded when he had to work on collecting a large number of souls which met a violent death in one location._
> 
> _"_ No _, risking the child in any way is no longer acceptable. Your father and his slave will deal with them while you will return to Severus' side with the knowledge they will be dealt with," Palpatine told him, his tone brooking no argument. Harry scowled but obeyed only to hear the screams start as soon as he passed into the hall. Any crew members that saw his cold smile went out of their way to avoid him for the next couple of days._
> 
> _ **End Flashback** _

  
Not two days after asking to be treated normally Palpatine fucked Severus awake and into the mattress. In his mind they had passed his family values test and there was no longer a need to be gentle with his pet to let him heal.

"Ah!" Severus cried out as he was entered by the Emperor, waking from a dead sleep.

"Its been too long, pet," Palpatine moaned as he savored the feel of his pet around his own cock. Insisting on Severus being prepared to take him regardless of the time being allowed for healing had paid off. While tighter than usual the Potions Master was still safely ready to take the Imperial cock and was being rapidly fucked into the mattress as a result.

"M-master?" Severus gasped out, groaning as the cock inside him battered his prostate.

"I allowed you time to heal but its time for you and your little husband to return properly to my service," Palpatine hissed into his ear. He was taking his pet hard and fast before swapping to slow and deep only to shift to shallow and teasingly slow before once more returning to hard and fast and deep. A pause in the shifting rhythm saw Severus forced up to lay against the Emperor's chest, pulled by his hair and a kiss brutally claimed before the fucking began again in earnest.

"What?" Severus asked bewildered, distracted by the pleasure being inflicted upon him.

"You see your husband over there? He offered himself in your place so that you would have time to heal. He learned quickly to suck my cock and he even took me beautifully when I felt the need to have a proper fuck. He has been taking my cock for you since the start of this and now I don't need to hold back with either of you," Palpatine said darkly as he fucked up into his pet harshly. "Tomorrow we make for Imperial Center... Coruscant and your new home in my palace. I have something to show you before I fill you again with a child and I _will_ fill you again with a brat as many times as your body can take. Once the baby is born and he has healed from the birth your imp will be dosed with the heat drug and learn to take us both in equal measure. Neither of you will ever accept anyone into bed again unless it is myself or each other and you will both give me children for years to come."

Harry slept through the hours Palpatine took to remind Severus who his master was, completely drugged out of his mind. By the time he woke Severus was curled protectively around him and very sore while the Emperor was cheerfully dealing with business elsewhere.

"Sev?" Harry asked muzzily.

"Harry," Severus said with relief. "You were drugged."

"Wha happen?" Harry yawned.

"The Emperor felt the I was ready for a reminder of who we belong to," Severus admitted as he cuddled close to his husband. His answer had Harry immediately wide awake and frantically checking him for injuries only for Severus to chuckle and calm his young husband. "Calm down, I'm only sore from how hard he fucked me."

"We have to get away from him," Harry whispered softly, pressing their foreheads together in comfort.

"I know but he's hardly going to let us try," Severus sighed. "He told me that once the baby is born he plans to give you the heat drug and train you to both our touch as he attempted with me during our punishment. Your offer to take my place while I healed has elevated you from toy to fellow pet if he gets his way."

"He'll use the baby against us," Harry whispered, distraught.

"Yes but he also told me that he's planning on keeping us pregnant," Severus sighed as they cuddled close. "Any child we have has that risk while he lives. If worst comes to worst and Anakin slips back into being fully Vader we would likely still do better under him than Palpatine. Although some might argue that point since we are currently in the Emperor's bed and he plans to keep us here as much as possible."

Harry pressed one of Severus' hands on his own slowly growing tummy so that Severus could feel their child just as the Emperor returned. Palpatine remained silent as he smirked and watched the pair absorbed in each other.

"You can't afford to aggravate him in any way or form, imp, or else he will collar you and not with the one he used for me but a worse version. Please, Harry, don't give him any reason to go through with that insanity," Severus appealed to his younger husband. "If nothing else you need to be whole to take care of the baby and any more children the three of us have."

Harry felt the fear radiating from his husband and knew that Palpatine wouldn't hesitate to lord his dominance over the duo. He also knew Severus too well, knew that he was unwilling to risk him or the baby for one of Palpatine's crazy schemes. Should the Emperor threaten the lives of their children Severus would be willing to do anything to kept them safe, even at the cost of his own life and freedom. Both were still naked, as Palpatine hadn't been allowing the pair of them any clothes within his quarters once they were back in his control after Severus' kidnapping.

The young magi leaned into the embrace of his husband and hoped to enjoy a few moments of peace and quiet. Both knew too well that should Palpatine return he could and would separate them simply to test their obedience to his orders. The tyrant wasn't above drugging them or punish one of them for any perceived wrong-doings of his partner. A perfect example was the way Harry had been drugged earlier to let Palpatine re-establish his claim on Severus in peace that morning.

Palpatine silently left them to each other's care, leaving them unaware he had even been there, as he plotted what to do next with his pets.

Just as dinner was being served that night Palpatine returned. To Harry's utter bafflement the Potions Master knelt submissively on the floor, waiting on the next order from his Master, not once daring to look towards Harry.

"My pet, it seems you have learned your lesson well while your young husband still has a lot to learn," Palpatine mused, removing his imperial cock from his trousers. A look ordered Severus to suck his cock which Severus followed without any protest as Harry watched in surprise. Anything was better than another punishment by the Sith Lord.

A hand on Severus' neck a few minutes later made him freeze as Palpatine removed his cock from Severus' mouth.

"Turn around, pet. Show me my property, Severus," Palpatine smirked, enjoying the view as Severus changed his position. Leaning slightly forward, his bum into the air, the Potions Master only hoped that this time Palpatine would be more gentle with him than when he had been fucked awake. A smack on his bum made him look up over his shoulder and into the amused eyes of his Master.

"You need a little reminder to whom you belong, before I take you again, my dear Severus," Palpatine said lightly before delivering 10 more light smacks to Severus' ass cheeks.

"Thank you, Master, for reminding me of my place," Severus recited as any good pet was wont do to. He felt something cool and wet at his entrance, giving him enough warning to brace himself, before Palpatine thrust his big cock into Severus' hole. This time he was fucked slow and softly as the Emperor drew out the moment before allowing Severus to cum and filling his pet again with his seed. Summoning a butt plug, Palpatine made sure that none of his seed could trickle out before he cleaned them both with some help of a casual use of the force.

"Let's eat, pet. You will be sitting in my lap today while young Harry will be kneeling on the floor. He needs to learn his place before he can earn a few privileges and I did not take the time to train him while you were ill," Palpatine said wickedly.

Severus had nodded his understanding silently as he carefully sat on Palpatine's lap and Harry got delegated to a cushion on the floor. Harry had watched all of this silently from the bed until he was motioned to take his place kneeling next to the Emperor's chair on the cushion as they took their places for supper.

"Very good, Harry. You aren't house trained yet but after I'm finished with you both of you will accept my dominance in your lives unquestioningly," Palpatine smirked, as he pet Severus' hair. He acknowledged Harry's success in obeying him and not objecting to his purposefully blatant use of Severus with a kind smile and a kiss to Severus' neck.

Supper passed reasonably well with Palpatine occasionally hand feeding his pets as Harry took his cue from his husband. The luxury of simply enjoying the time together with his pets and Palpatine himself in complete control was deeply appreciated so he was in a good mood when it was time for bed.

They would arrive at the palace in a few days and then he would claim both his pets over the alter, cementing his control and rule for the rest of his life. It was to this thought that Palpatine settled into the land of dreams with both of his pets safely wrapped in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am currently entertaining ideas of what to do when they get to the lower levels of the imperial palace which also, if you'll remember earlier foreshadowing, was once the Jedi temple and has both a sith temple and an ancient magical building in the basement. It has been suggested that the building is Hogwarts and Coruscant is actually a future earth complete with a ghostly Luna waiting for them to show up. Also, I am debating keeping this a Sith Empire under Vader (cave vision 4) or going ahead with cave vision 5.
> 
> I would like to hear the opinions and ideas of my readers on this and I apologize for posting the request a few hours after the actual chapter....
> 
> Ideas?


	24. This is not a new chapter

I have become extremely uncomfortable with the way this fic is evolving and as such no longer feel that I can work on it. I am extremely tempted to orphan it so that someone else can adopt it simply because of how much work I put into it. I am equally tempted to just delete the whole thing.

If someone wants to adopt it straight from me and leave my name on it as part of a collaboration I will seriously consider it. Should you want to adopt this leave a review and we'll talk.

~ Genuka

Edit:

Okay, as you can see from the chapter reviews Trickster32 who has practically been my co-author the entire time, has opted to claim it and her position as co-author. A position I should have just acknowledged from the start with the way our brainstorming sessions were evolving. Meh, you live and you learn. Over to you Trickster!

~ Genuka


	25. Palpatine’s pets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Palpatine forced Severus & Harry into situations which demands a lot from both. The whole time as a Damocles' sword hanging over them his threat to separate them permanently and to harm their unborn child. Are any of their allies able to free the magical duo from Palpatine's sinister plans?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 3 cheers for Sugahhuney, who had edited this chapter.... enjoy ;3

**_Palpatine’s pets_ **

 

Severus scowled internally as he was forced to not only watch his pregnant husband get fucked by Palpatine but helped make Harry beg for the attention, yet again. Once the Emperor was away he would need to take Harry hard and fast to remind him who his husband actually was. The cum locked into his own ass from the same source via a butt plug bothered him less. Palpatine had taken to fucking them awake or having Severus simply do it to Harry with great relish. Sometimes he would take Severus while the Potions Master was inside his smaller husband and sometimes he would take Harry's mouth while Severus was instructed to pound the smaller wizard's ass. Occasionally he would blindfold Severus and have him act as a cock warmer only to usually pin him to the desk, table, or other surface hours later and fuck him hard while still inside him from earlier.

* * *

 

Luna watched through the eyes and magic of Coruscant, once known as Earth, as the ship made its final approach to land on the Palace landing strip. She had known this day would come and also known that if she failed to provoke the magic into killing her after Harry disappeared so that she was linked to Hogwarts after her death, all would be lost. Harry was 22 when he disappeared into time and Luna had been 23 when she came to Hogwarts to arrange her bonding with the ancient castle via the Room of Requirement. The castle had provided a dangerous alternative instead. She had been given a strange sort of chair that had, after she sat in it, grown something which latched on to her neck and burrowed very carefully into her spine. The RoR then absorbed the chair, body and all, back into the stone of the castle, merging her with the castle and setting her as the permanent guardian. Everything that had been Luna Lovegood or Hogwarts became as one. So the pair waited.

 

Luna knew that neither of them had made the connection, yet. And how should they, both had been propelled so many centuries into the future, it was no wonder that they were still overwhelmed with their new situation. Add to this that they had to fight for their freedom and their lives practically non-stop since being reunited and therefore capturing Palpatine’s interest. 

 

Luna had, thanks to her connection with the sentient building, learned everything that they had experienced and learned since they had wound up in this galaxy. Palpatine’s constant harassment of Severus, starting as a Force phantom on the Executor and his constants threats on Harry’s life ensured that Severus would be forced to submit to the geriatric emperor.

 

Even at that crucial moment, Luna had known that Severus had to visit the Forgotten Planet. It was this planet, on which the first magical people had lived (Earth/Coruscant) before scattering across the galaxy, where the Prince family had ruled until tragedy struck mercilessly. The Palace would only share her long-forgotten secrets with a member of the Prince family and would do anything to protect Severus and his loved ones. She smiled sweetly, the last time an idiot had underestimated a sentient building, he had been dealt with permanently.

 

The moment the ship actually touched down Luna knew she had a naughty Sith idiot to punish once the group made their way into what was once Hogwarts grounds. No one did that to one of her favorites much less the last two living Headmasters for all that Harry had never figured out he was, in fact, the school Headmaster after Snape died on her grounds.

* * *

 

Palpatine had already planned his next steps, of course, he knew that his two pets weren't completely tamed yet. But that would change very soon, especially after another little private lab session for the Potions Master. He still needed to inject several of his most devious and permanent drugs in Severus' bloodstream, which he kept in his private lab on Coruscant. And he knew that Severus wouldn't be able to deny him anything not if he wanted to keep the brat and their unborn baby safe.

 

He knew how much it hurt Severus to see Harry punished for any perceived wrong-doings. It was so delicious to have his proud pet submit to him, offering to accept any punishment instead of his pregnant husband. Why should he deny it to him? It was almost time to claim Severus for all eternity. To mark him in a way, that nobody could deny Palpatine's claim on the dour man.

 

Yes, he was a true sadist, but it didn't mean that he did not enjoy pounding regularly into a firm arse — and he did enjoy taking Severus as often as possible. To impregnate him with his own offspring, while successfully converting him back to the dark side. Knowing that he would be the only one to fuck Severus hard and as often as he wanted it, filled his black heart with delight and glee. Using mind games on both force alchemists to keep them apart on a whim, while playing them against each other. Terrifying Harry into submitting to any of his demands and keeping Severus on a short leash, unless he wanted to risk Harry and their unborn child.

 

Harry moaned, feeling Severus' lips around his cock, while the emperor thrust into his tight hole, the little magi begged to come, at this stage of the training he wouldn't be able to deny Palpatine anything any longer. Not when his husband would have to pay the price for his disobedience.

 

He remembered only too well their little talk during Severus' recovery from the loss of their unborn child. 

 

Palpatine had made it clear to the young magi, that he would do whatever it takes to keep Severus at his side, even if that meant separating him from Harry after their child was born and using both for his various experiments or meddling with Severus’ mind and his memories.

* * *

 

A strong grip stilled Severus' pleasuring of his husband, he felt the force removing the plug inside his ass and being forced to his knees, as not even a few seconds later the emperor ruthlessly thrust into him again and again. Harry had been passed out from a strong orgasm and even Palpatine took mercy on the pregnant magi from time to time, after all, he still had his most favorite pet.

 

"Tomorrow you will undergo a little interrogation, just you, me, and a few of my most loyal red guards, Severus. I do not think that you would try to skip it, pet, or I would have to sic some of my more experienced med-droids on your husband. He should avoid any sort of stress, therefore I believe you will be on your best behavior, or you will not enjoy the consequences, my dear Severus," Palpatine coldly informed him as he mercilessly thrust into Severus' tight heat. “Should you try to disobey me again I will personally conduct a medical check-up on you after we have landed on Coruscant, pet.”

 

"N-No, M-Master. I'll be good.", promised Severus.

 

"Good, cum for me, pet.", whispered Palpatine as he thrust harder and faster.

 

Severus obeyed and collapsed bonelessly on the bed. He felt the plug once more affixed, and soft caressing touches from his Master.

 

He could only pray for help, that someone would be able to rescue Harry and their child from this hell. He had long ago resigned himself to his fate, as long as Harry and their little family would be safe, he would accept any consequences for himself.

 

Luna's ghost froze the air around her, she would free them and help Vader get rid of a madman. The emperor would die before he even had the chance to break the spirits of her beloved duo even further. Hogwarts hummed in agreement, they would do anything to protect their favorites.

* * *

 

**_Flashback_ **

 

_ "Unlike your husband you are expendable. Are you willing to face my ire, young Skywalker?" Palpatine mocked Harry cruelly. _

 

_ "What do you mean, your majesty?" Harry asked warily. _

 

_ "I would enjoy breaking your bond all while sullying his memories at the same time or even removing them completely from his mind. He wouldn't be able to remember anything of you or his past. I would make him beg for my cock while you were forced to watch as I claim him in one of our oldest Sith rituals. A ritual that will happen in any case. Count the few remaining weeks that I grant you together, they're ending quite soon. Severus belongs to me. Provoke me again and I'll ensure that your touch will burn him with the lightest brush. Consider this your only warning," Palpatine hissed gleefully. _

 

_ Harry stared wordlessly at the tyrant, who dismissed him nonchalantly. Harry's next words stopped the tyrant in his tracks that day. _

 

_ "What would it take for you to claim me as well? To keep us together?" Harry's voice asked with soft defiance. _

 

_ "Well now, what exactly can you offer me?" Palpatine asked cruelly as he turned to face the pregnant male sitting next to a sleeping and still healing Severus. _

 

_ "The loyal service of someone who has already killed one dark lord and dismantled his empire, assuming you keep what is precious to me safe," Harry said flatly. His voice was echoing with a challenge as a hand each drifted down to rest on the vulnerable Severus and over the equally vulnerable baby inside his tummy. _

 

_ "And who might that be?" Palpatine asked dangerously as he studied the way Harry sat with confidence. _

 

_ "Me," Harry said simply, his voice strong as steel. "Keep my family together and safe and I will kneel to you as my master. I will even acknowledge you as our Head of House and speak to Severus about extending the marriage bond to include you. We would be a triad and a family. I have a bigger influence on my husband than you will ever have, Emperor. We are bonded by magic, force, and fate. Severus would do  _ **_anything_ ** _ to make me happy, no matter what it would cost him." _

 

_ "I'll even take Severus' place while he's healing," Harry added, looking away from his new potential master in favor of gazing lovingly at his husband. The sudden grip in his hair as he was forced to look up into Palpatine's face brought tears to his eyes with its roughness and told him he had been stupid to look away. _

 

_ "We will see how well you behave until I claim Severus over the altar. If you please me well enough I will claim you at the same time. Once claimed you will never escape me," Palpatine told him cruelly before taking Harry's lips roughly in a kiss. _

* * *

 

_ Not even half an hour later he had Harry wrapped around his cock, enjoying the smaller male's sweetness and idly wondering if it would be a bad thing to keep them both as pets. _

 

_ Harry mewled in distress, Palpatine didn’t go easy on the pregnant magi. With help of the force had he immobilized Harry and reduced him to a mere sex toy. For 6 hours, he tormented his new pet/toy until the old man was satisfied enough and let him go. Still reminding him smugly that disobedience would be punished harshly, and that neither Severus nor Harry had the rights to wear any clothes within in his private chambers. _

 

**_End flashback_ **

* * *

 

Palpatine growled angrily as he remembered the audacity of the brat. How dare he to state, that he would be a threat to Palpatine? No, the brat would pay for his audacity, after the child is born. Maybe it was time to use the drug, which would warp Severus' feelings for his brat and focused them solely on Palpatine.

 

Yes, this would hurt the boy much more than anything else. He couldn't punish him like he would love to do, not until the child was born, but afterward, he would make him suffer. He would force him to wear the obedience collar that Mara Jade had brought him from the imperial depots. The emperor smirked, yes, he would make his threat come true, that any touch of Harry —  be it a slight brush of skin on skin — would electrocute his pet. Combining this with the nightmare drug, and soon enough his pet wouldn't even be willing to stay in the same room as the young Skywalker.

 

Palpatine had no problems breaking the arrogant brat, or separating him from the bond with Severus. It shows the immaturity of the boy, that he openly announced what he had done before encountering Vader and his family.

 

No, the Sith Lord wouldn't share his pet with anyone, and certainly not with such a green boy, who didn't show the proper respect to his betters.

 

A family — never!  Before the year was over, Harry Skywalker would be reduced to a mere catamite, and he knew exactly the right combination of drug and experimentation to reduce the boy to a drooling, brainless cock sleeve. Nobody defied Palpatine without paying the price **_._ **

 

He would for now accept their agreement and not inform Severus about Harry’s offer. There was no need for that, Palpatine had other options to separate the duo and ensure that Severus would be ensnared by his Master to the point he wouldn’t be able to leave Palpatine ever again.

 

Palpatine sighed at his pet's fascination,  although he did understand what Harry had been getting at that day. If he allowed the imp to go free or die his pet would follow as best he could. If he wanted to keep Severus properly and be able to claim his attention on a whim without resorting to the exhaustive and incomplete mind control the imp would get his deal. It was clear that Severus felt the same way as Harry and to have one be completely his, it would require that he take both. They were a matched set that even death might not sunder. At least once the children were born he would have more leverage. He could always freeze one in carbonite for later if there was misbehavior. The idea of keeping one in carbonite and using them as a table to fuck the other over appealed greatly.

 

Maybe he should consider doing this to the brat, directly after he had given birth to Severus’ heir.  Even if that meant sedating his pet, and keeping the frozen brat well hidden in his study. Severus would be too busy with caring for his child, and Palpatine could use this to get further concessions from him, including the signing of an absolute contract without any clauses for freedom or ending the contract.

* * *

 

Summoning Harry to his study after sending his royal red guard to bring Severus to his interrogation. Harry wore clothes chosen by Palpatine,  who only allowed the brat a light tunic to cover his nudity. Palpatine rejoiced in letting the pregnant magi kneel silently on the floor. It was 2 hours later that Palpatine addressed him formally:

 

“I had warned you what will happen should you ever dare to defy me, young Skywalker. Before you asked, Severus is on the way to a  **_special_ ** interrogation. After all, because of you, my pet had not only defied me more than once but even omitted crucial information.”, growled the emperor.

 

Harry stared at him, eyes widened in fear. No, the emperor may be cruel and obviously insane, but he wouldn’t harm Severus or would he? Harry trembled, even as he tried to suppress it.

 

“You will spend the few days with your father, his slave and your brother. Call it bonding time, my little toy brat. Depending on Severus’ answers and his behavior, you will see him again sooner…... or later. Ah, and this is your last warning. The next time, you overstep your boundaries, I will ensure that you will be birthing the child, before freezing you in carbonite, until you have learned your lesson.”, smirked Palpatine. “I know exactly when we can risk to trigger your birthing process, keep that in mind, young Skywalker. You would make a nice decoration for my study, and you would no longer taint my pet with your presence.”

 

Palpatine summoned two of his red guards and ordered them to take Harry to Vader’s quarters, as well as adjusting the area to ensure that Harry wouldn’t be able to leave those rooms before Palpatine allowed it. At the same time, Severus would be unable to enter the area, before Harry’s punishment was over.

* * *

 

The private interrogation room of the Emperor was connected to the throne room on the Executor. Severus had already been affixed on the chair, and the needed drugs only waited for Palpatine for free usage, should the need arise.

 

“My pet, do you remember, what I have told you before claiming you all those months ago?”, asked Palpatine, as he caressed Severus’ chest and pinching his nipples underneath the robe.

 

“Yes, Master.”, replied Severus nervously. This didn’t bode well. Where was Harry? Had something happened to their child?

 

“Your toy will be spending the week with his family on my orders. He is under house arrest, and it will depend on both of your behavior and your answers if this will be a short interlude or longer break for both of you. None of you will be allowed to be in the same area as long as the punishments still stand. Depending on your behavior, this can be days or even weeks, pet.”, informed him Palpatine.

 

Calmly filling the drug, that would prevent Severus from either omitting anything or even openly lying to his face, into a syringe all the while the emperor smiled deviously.

 

“This will help you immensely, pet. Not only will you be eager to answer my questions, but it will also ensure that I am able to trust you completely. After injecting this into your blood, you won’t be able to lie to me ever again, my pet.”, laughed the Sith Lord.

 

6 hours followed of brutal interrogating by the emperor and his red guards, this time Palpatine did not leave anything out. Family, schooling, abilities, the Voldemort wars were only the start. He was especially interested in the vows Severus had to swear in his former life.

 

Shivers wrecked his body, he was ghostly pale and had a sore throat, as Palpatine ended the interrogation with a satisfied smirk. Petting Severus’ hair, as he freed him from the chair, the Sith Lord stole a quick kiss, before hoisting the worn out Potions Master into his arms.

 

“See, that wasn’t so bad, my pet. We will return to my chambers, where you can recover in peace. And tomorrow we will be sleeping in the Palace again. There will even be time to prepare both of you for the claiming ceremony deep beneath the palace, my Severus.”, whispered Palpatine into Severus’ ear.

 

Palpatine took his time to wash both of them, afterward, he carried his worn out pet to their bed and drew Severus into his arms, caressing the still trembling Potions Master and calling him a good boy. Against his will, Palpatine’s soothing lulled Severus into sleep, still spooned by the Sith Lord, who, even in his sleep, never let Severus go.

* * *

 

Luna's watching ghost form froze the air around her, she would free them and help Vader to get rid of a madman. The Emperor would die before he even had the chance to break the spirits of her beloved duo even further, deal or no deal between her Headmasters and their captor. Hogwarts hummed in agreement, they would do anything to protect their favorites.

 

A burst of magic precisely aimed at the private lab on Coruscant utterly destroyed the room and the electronics that would be used against her favorites, setting off the bio-containment protocols. A little electrical fire, induced by magic, burned the rest of the room to molten slag before the group even got into the door of the Palace. Satisfied for the moment Luna and Hogwarts started preparing for their visitors and plotting to give Harry's children playmates from the Kenobi-Skywalker pair.

 

Wild Magic and Force could easily prepare Kenobi as the future bearer for Anakin’s family. Not even the Force dared to unleash Vader’s hormonal mood swings on the galaxy. Kenobi would be better able to deal with those changes, while Vader would be extremely protective and very willing to satisfy any of Kenobi’s cravings.

* * *

 

Luna had been one of a small minority of students, who had been able to get close to Severus. Even when she often startles the dour Potions Master, she didn't have any problems with hugging him or baking him cookies and brownies in the kitchen. In her first year, it had been Severus who had discouraged her bullies and shown her an effective way to keep them at bay. The open-minded girl had never forgotten those small acts of kindness.

 

She had enjoyed watching his interactions with the various creatures in the Forbidden Forest — unicorns, who didn't shy back from his touch, allowing him to comb their hair or remove shards of their old horns. He never took more as he needed and had always been grateful for their support and assistance.

 

The Sith altar had been placed in the former wardroom of Hogwarts after the castle had been corrupted. Someone who knew the old passages would still be able to find the magical portraits, but the castle had been trenched in darkness and evil for centuries.

 

Luckily for both, they had only endured a week, before Palpatine let Harry return to their shared quarters, after making clear, who is the head of the house and whose word is law.

* * *

 

Luna shivered as her ghost form had been forced to watch the emperor violating the Potions Master again, on board of the imperial flagship after nearing the orbit of Coruscant. He had forced the dark man into a small alcove and sealed it off with the help of the force, before taking Severus without hesitation.

 

"You're mine, pet. You will only be belonging to me. Don't forget it.", growled Palpatine as he thrust like a maniac in Severus' tight heat.

 

Severus moaned, as the old man mercilessly battered his prostate, slipping more and more in a submissive subspace, which satisfied Palpatine very much.

 

"Cum for me, pet.", ordered Palpatine and watched with delighted as Severus obeyed him without hesitation.

* * *

 

After reaching Coruscant late in the evening, Severus and Harry had been ordered to wear simple tunics and clothes, before being ushered by the Red Guards into Palpatine’s private wing. Palpatine forcefully removed their clothes, before immobilizing the duo and began fondling both of them starting with Severus, much to Harry’s disgust. It seems as if Palpatine could feel Harry’s turmoil, as he bent Severus over and rimmed the surprised Potions Master, who wasn’t used to this at all. He let him graciously collapsing on a few pillows on the floor, as he started to grab the pregnant magi for his neverending sexual appetite.

 

Less than an hour later she had seen practically the same thing happen to Harry but with extra fondling of his growing belly. After which the Emperor handed the fucked out pregnant wizard to his dismayed first pet with the instructions to  _ entertain _ him with a show in Palpatine’s bedroom on Coruscant. This forced Severus to take Harry in a display meant for the Emperor alone until one or both of them were begging and the evil man granted them permission to cum. Palpatine had used the force to keep both near the edge, but unable to come without his explicit permission.

 

"Tsk, tsk, pet. You can do better. Or do I really need to give you another dose of your medicine?", asked Palpatine.

 

"No, Master.", replied Severus as he took Harry again, knowing better as to risk anything while his husband was so vulnerable. 

 

He had felt the force around his cock tightened to prevent an early climax, while Harry had been secured in a cock cage. Using his fingers and his cock to stimulate Harry, it wasn’t long until Harry started to begging, alas Palpatine wasn't willing to allow him any release yet. Finally, as Severus was almost collapsing, Palpatine vanished the force cock ring and the cock cage ordering both to cum.

 

Severus collapsed but turned his body so that he fell beside Harry on the hard table, over which he had to fuck his pregnant husband for hours. At least this time he prevented further injuries for Harry and his unborn child. Too worn out to even protest as Palpatine used the force to clean them up and put them to bed.

* * *

 

The worried looks from Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Luke when Palpatine came back out for supper were met with only a satisfied smirk. The instructions for the next day's jaunt to the lower levels of the palace and beyond were not reassuring with Luke trapped in his rooms in the main palace and both former Jedi acting as escorts into the depths of the building. 


	26. Confusion in the ranks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sinister plans from Palpatine - unexpected encounters with ghosts and more... typical for Harry, Vader & Severus...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the slight delay... but after my beta gave green light... a new chapter for you... the usual warnings apply... well, Palpatine isn't dead, yet... ;P

Early on the next morning, Palpatine woke up, a sinister smile shortly visible on his face, as he decided to choose another strategy today.

 

A blow-job instead of fucking his favourite pet hard and fast, would be a nice start in the day and had the added benefit, that Palpatine could infuse more of the dark side of the force into Severus. He had learned from his experience that it was easier to fed Severus' dark side, if the man wasn't completely alert and the pull on his magic would increase Palpatine's hold over the dour Potions Master.

 

Severus arched up, as his orgasm filled him, and without even being really awake following Palpatine's order to cum.

 

"Good pet, very good.", praised him the Sith Lord. Before stealing a kiss from the surprised Potions Master.

 

"M-Ma-Master:", stammered Severus. This was new and totally unexpected.

 

"Hush, Severus. Trust me, everything is fine.", soothed him Palpatine and cradled the confused man closer to his chest.

* * *

 

Gently positioning his still dazed pet he drew hard on the dark, channelling it through Severus before giving the harsh order. "Fuck him awake pet, or are you going to let your toy laze about?"

 

Severus snarled and found Harry in easy reach only to plunge his cock roughly into his already prepared small husband and brutally fuck him awake, riding high on the dark currents as he relished in the cries and instinctive bucking from the form underneath him.

 

"Mine!" Severus snarled, shoving his cock inside Harry's tight heat again, and again, and again.

 

Chuckling darkly as Severus took his husband without remorse he pinned the nearly feral Potions Master down long enough to slip his own newly hard cock inside his pet. A hand wrapped around the dour man's neck gave him the needed leverage to keep his bucking pet on his cock yet still allow him to drive into Harry as fiercely as he wished.

 

"That's it, take him hard and fast, prove that he belongs to you," Palpatine crooned, keeping control with his hand around the pale neck and his own cock up Severus' ass.

 

Severus' red eyes blazed as he fucked his husband into incoherence and kept going as Harry had been kept on the edge with a magical cock ring. The forced abstinence had been good for the duo.

 

"Sev, stop, please stop." cried Harry, after the 3rd time he came dry on Severus' cock, but it was fruitless. Severus was completely under Palpatine's thrall and accelerated his speed even more.

 

"Why should I? Normally you can't get enough from a cock in your backside, Harry. Come on, take it like a man", growled Severus. His pale hands grabbed Harry's cock and prevent any release, which drew a protesting sound from Harry.

 

"Good, very good, pet. He needs to earn it, first. Don't made it too easy for him, Severus.", commented Palpatine, as he strengthened his grip on Severus' hips.

 

"Yes, Master. Come on, Harry. Beg, like the little slut, that you are. Beg, or I won't let you come!", smirked Severus.

 

"Let me come, Sev. Please let me come.", screamed Harry, as he bucked again and again for a bit friction.

 

"Master, should we grant this slut his little wish?", asked Severus as he turned around to share a passionate kiss with Palpatine.

 

The Sith Lord relishing in this activity agreed to let Harry come. And as soon as Severus removed his fingers from Harry's cock, cum spread over them.

* * *

 

Harry panted and finally got a good look at his husband's eyes. He saw the love, yes, but he also saw that Severus was caught by the dark and acting more the ruthless Death Eater than normal. Deciding he didn't like Palpatine's cruel smirk of satisfaction at his barely hidden distress from earlier he went along with whatever was happening.

 

"Master Death Eater, sir? Has your pet displeased you? Am I not acting to your satisfaction? Have I failed any of your commands?" Harry mewled as Severus' hands roamed his body greedily. A smack landed on Harry's bum, drawing a surprised yelp from the pregnant magi.

 

"You know better than that. No matter how you crave it the term pet is above your station, slave," Severus growled playfully.

 

"Yes, master, of course, master. Does master need anything else from his breeding slave?" Harry asked cheekily. The grip that suddenly appeared in his hair startled him into opening his mouth only for Severus to try and devour him, cock still sheathed inside of Harry.

 

Palpatine smirked and leaned over the pair only to return to fucking a still hard Severus in earnest.

 

"Cum, pet," Palpatine ordered and allowed Severus' orgasm to drag his own out of his cock. Pulling out he considered his two pets and the blazing red that still dominated Severus' eyes. "Pet? Dress your little breeding slave and yourself in something leather. I don't want either of you damaged by rubble in the areas we are going today. If you truly want to keep him so that no one can take him from you we need to be in the altar room by mid-day. You have permission to make sure the outfits are accessible for trysts during the long walk down to the altar. In fact, I insist."

 

"Yes, Master", smirked Severus as he dragged Harry from the bed and to the closet.

 

Choosing sturdy tight dark leather combinations for both of them, before slipping into the bathroom for a quick shower.

* * *

Harry glared at Palpatine. It only amused the Sith Lord as he mocked him cruelly:

 

"See, slave. He is mine and he enjoys it. Today we will seal our bond and then nobody will ever be able to separate us ever again, slave. Severus will be the crown jewel in my collection and my future consort. He belongs to the dark, and I will ensure that he devotes himself to it once more. And there is nothing you or your family can do to prevent this from happening."

 

"You've not won yet.", screamed Harry. "Severus doesn't belong to anyone."

 

"Wrong, he is mine. Why do you not ask him yourself? Scared, that he could chose me, chose the dark side, even as his brat filled your belly?", smirked the Sith Lord.

 

Harry stared aghast at the emperor. He had to be joking. Severus would never — not in a million years chose this man over his family.

 

Severus stepped from the bathroom, clad in black leather with a green hairband to tie his ponytail back. Bowing respectfully to the emperor, before stepping closer to the duo.

 

Harry could approve the outfit, but not the fact, that Palpatine grabbed his husband and ravished him on the spot, while his geriatric fingers groped Severus' arse. Nor the fact that Severus didn’t do anything to stop the creepy Sith Lord, instead going with the flow and even leaned into the movements of Palpatine’s fingers.

 

"Claim your slave, my pet, and get ready. I'll let you claim him properly over the altar before I seal our own bond. We will have to get his father and his father's slave to perform their own bond as well. I am accepting a deal he offered me to stay by your side. Once young Luke has found his own pet we will return to the altar and witness his claiming, sealing our line to the throne for generations yet to come," Palpatine smirked, letting Severus go so that he could watch in satisfaction as Harry was manhandled into the bathroom, washed, and dressed by his very possessive Master Severus.

* * *

 

They were on their way before Harry knew it. It was more than an hour before Harry realized that his offer from during Severus' time healing had been accepted. Once that little bomb hit he knew he was screwed. By the very nature of his offer both he and Severus now belonged to Palpatine.

 

Harry really should have expected it but he hadn't and only the frequent breaks to fuck him against a wall or take his mouth from the Emperor and his husband kept him from trying to figure out a way to get them both free before they hit the altar room. Anakin just as frequently ravaged Obi-Wan's lips but held off from actually fucking the other man as they played guard dogs.

 

By the time they got to the familiar magical doors Harry was thoroughly fucked out and he knew that there was more to come once they actually got to the Sith Altar. Severus and Palpatine hadn't exactly been hiding their discussions of what would happen when they got there and Harry knew full well they both planned to fuck him over the altar. He would be bound to the pair of them and very little would be able to break that bond.

 

Palpatine had already taken a little vial from his pocket, it was the drug, which he would inject his pet, before claiming him over the Sith Altar.

* * *

 

Luna and Hogwarts knew, that now it was time to stop Palpatine or the fate of their favourites would be sealed. Using her connection to Hogwarts she called upon the portraits of the old Heads of Houses — not many knew that at the start of their tenure all 4 heads would be depicted together in a show of unity. Minerva had her own portrait in the Headmaster tower, but at the moment she needs the portrait from 1981 — to stall Palpatine, before he had the chance to claim Severus and Harry.

 

Luna had learned a lot since she entered her symbiotic union with Hogwarts. The portraits soaked in the magic of millennia were even able to use their own magic, should they deemed it necessary. And to defend the castle, they weren't limited any longer. Dumbledore's portraits had long ago been stored in a magic-less room, including his old Head of House portrait. It was a reaction of his meddling and the knowledge that Dumbledore had caused the last 3 wars, just to increase his own hold on the Magical World.

 

Luna woke Minerva, Filius, Sluggy and Pomona, she needed them to stop the tyrant in any way possible, before he would ruin anything. Then she gathered her powers to wake the rest of the portraits and the ghosts, of those loyal to Hogwarts and her ideals.

* * *

 

A soft whisper filled the air and Harry looked baffled around as he heard a female voice, could this be Luna? She whispered his name and he felt ethereal fingers caressing his skin soothingly.

 

Before they entered the room with the Sith Altar, did suddenly materialise the ghosts of the former heads of Hogwarts during Severus' tenure as Headmaster and spoke as one to the Sith Lord: "You will not pass, emperor. They're not yours."

 

"What the bloody hell?" Harry whispered in shock. He recognized theses ghosts except it didn't feel like they were completely ghosts to his senses, senses partly granted to him as the Master of Death.

 

"Minerva? Filius? Pomona? Slughorn? I thought... but we aren't even on Earth..." Severus stumbled verbally through his confusion.

 

"Pet?" Palpatine asked, no demanded an explanation with that one word.

 

"We have an unworthy one trying to claim what is not his," came more voices from other portraits as they manifested as ghosts surrounding the group.

 

"Enough! Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, control your students. My serpents now is not yet the time for such malice," Slytherin declared as the ghostly forms parted to let the four through, his fellow founders glaring at the assembled long dead staff members.

 

"If you think I'll let him keep Harry and Severus you've got another thing coming laddie me buck! Founder or no founder!" Minerva hissed, reminiscent of her animagus form.

 

"You don't have a say, Professor. I gave my word and I bet Severus did as well despite his own promise to me during those joint nightmares," Harry told them with a sigh.

 

"Of course you did. You are the Master of Death, more who you are would do anything to protect your mate and any child, especially after losing one who might not have been your by blood but that you already adopted in heart and soul. Mr. Potter, you might not be able to get yourself and your family free but do you honestly think those you are connected to will let it stand?" Filius asked toothily. "It might have taken decades for my cousins at Gringotts to figure it out but you've earned too many life debts and stopped to many threats before being whisked away. Severus as well though he mostly kept you safe from other things so that you could accomplish the nearly impossible ones."

 

"I am afraid that your shear dumb luck is striking again," Minerva drawled dryly an evil smirk dancing across her features and sending chills down both wizard's spines.

* * *

 

Severus very cautiously grabbed Harry and started dragging him back away from the apparitions the red blazing in his eyes even brighter as he intentionally drew on all of his magic in preparation to defend them.

 

"Oh, stop that, Severus!" Pomona scolded in exasperation as he withdrew from them.

 

"Let the snakeling be, woman," Salazar ordered sharply, seeing what the others had missed. "His mate is with child."

* * *

 

"The first Sith were Dark Wizards. As the need for wands faded the need for balance remained. Those who were of the Dark took to claiming light mates to act as a balance to help prevent more like Dumbledore and Voldemort. Thus when the balance between light and dark was broken thousands of years later the Jedi-Sith war began," Luna told them darkly as she glided through the assembly to stand in front of her two friends. "Palpatine has been deemed unworthy to be considered a Sith with his refusal of his light partner and the slaughter of all known light."

 

"Sword and shield, light and dark, sun and moon, fire to water, earth to air," Godric Gryffindor recited grimly. "These have always been parts of magic or, as you call it, the force. Duality is so integral that it extends to our very blood and form. These things are part of why the schism was so devastating every time it occurred. We built Hogwarts to try and teach not only the Magicks to those in need of the knowledge but the understanding of unity and balance. Our personal balance manifested as a quartet, others manifested as a triad, most manifested in pairs."

 

"Harry is in many ways both Light and Dark. He could have, technically, taken on anyone as a mate and can support multiple mates as long as his first mate agrees. Considering Severus is his first mate I greatly doubt that he will take a second one," Minerva said, her voice bubbling with amusement. "He's always been possessive and so very good at using his Slytherin mask to show only what he wishes to show but for those of us who knew him for so long... well his mask is not nearly as perfect as he wishes it to be. Harry is the only one to balance his Darkness into safety and sanity now that the bond is in place. Being bonded to one such as him eliminates the ability to have someone lesser and not go insane."

* * *

 

"How touching", snarled Palpatine as he send force lighting to the vexing brat, not caring that it would probably end the pregnancy and violating his agreement with Severus.

 

Led by his instinct turned Severus them around, and got hit full by the strong force lighting, biting on his lips not to let a sound of pain leaving his mouth.

 

"You are nothing to me!", sneered the old Sith as a strong force wind force Harry to crouch on the floor to protect his unborn child, alas this was only a feint.

 

A force lasso landed around Severus' neck and drew the weakened Potions Master back into Palpatine's clutches, still fighting against the aftermath of the force lightning.

 

"You can't stop me, there are other places, where I can claim my pet. And you will not find us, before he is irrevocably mine!"snarled Palpatine as he distracted them with a strong attack of the dark force, before dragging his weakened pet into the labyrinth of the palace.

* * *

 

"Kriffing Hell!", cursed Vader - "we need to find him, he won't hold back any longer, now that his original plans had been thwarted and if he had to break Severus for it, then he'll do it."

 

Obi-Wan helped carefully Harry to sit up and to check the child for any unknown dangers.

 

"I'm fine. But we have to find Sev, before Palpatine can claim him.", growled Harry.

 

Luna smiled at him, the most cheerful smile he had seen on her face, since he had seen her last.

 

"Palpatine will die during the next few days, don't worry Harry, he won't be able to claim Severus. But this time you have to let your family fight for you, remember you're carrying Severus' child. Or do you really want to end up over his knee, Harry?", asked Luna jokingly.

 

"I'm already going to wind up over his knee," Harry muttered before raising his voice to continue talking. "Besides the cave visions said Severus has to take me over the Altar if Palpatine doesn't take him and if the bastard does take him he has to take me as well."

* * *

 

Palpatine immediately noticed that his pet seemed to be in pain the farther he dragged him from the vexing brat to the point that Severus was having trouble breathing. Dragging the Potions Master into a nearby alcove and pinning him to the wall before sealing them in he examined his prize as his earlier fury gave way to actual concern.

 

"What is wrong with you my pet?" Palpatine whispered.

 

"He's dying. The force lightning shortened his time by a good several hours. If you succeed in claiming him without also taking his little mate you will lose both," the stones whispered. Hogwarts did not want to lose either wizard to the Emperor's stupidity. "Claiming him buys you an extra day to claim his mate. Only his mate's previous proximity has kept these things at bay and such would not have lasted much longer without the claiming over the altar."

* * *

 

"Harry, do you really believe Palpatine would keep his word? He lusts after Severus, but you little idiot have told him about killing Voldemort and destroying the Death Eaters. Do you really think, he would let you survive long enough to become a danger to him? Or turning Severus against him?", reminded him Luna.

 

"You did what?", growled Vader. "Didn't you promise me, that you wouldn't tell this to the emperor no matter what happened? I think, you will ending up over my lap first, young man, after we have save your husband."

* * *

"Can you lead the little force alchemist to us — without those vexing intruders?", inquired Palpatine warily. Healing wasn't his forte, but he managed to sooth the worst of Severus' injuries as he drew the injured man in his lap.

 

"We can do that, emperor. It is because of your folly, that you can lose him. We won't do this for you, but for him. alone.", whispered the stones around him.

 

"I won't let you die, pet.", vowed Palpatine as he softly caressed the injured Potions Master…

* * *

 

"Um, oops?" Harry squeaked, before darting out of easy reach only for a wall to spring up between him and the former Jedi. The magic forced Harry to continue on even as he heard the shouts of concern from the pair he was leaving behind. It wasn't long before he stumbled into Severus and Palpatine only to be pinned against the wall next to his husband.

 

"Your little deal is still valid little mage," Palpatine snarled.

 

"I swear, I didn't know... thought it was just a stupid title," Harry gasped out around the force choke that held him pinned. He gasped and choked his breathing back to normal as he went to his knees when the force choke was released.

 

"And that is the only reason we are not... renegotiating," Palpatine told him darkly as he finally let Severus loose to scoop up his imp.

 

"What would you have of us, master?" Severus asked in defeat as he cradled Harry close.

 

"Mount him, his lips will take my cock. For the foreseeable future he has no privileges and you have very few. Once we return to the palace proper you will both be tied to my bed and frequently fed aphrodisiacs with little to no relief until I am satisfied you have learned your lesson. Your little husband will extend the bond to include me as master permanently. I am still deciding if I should allow you access to the children you will both birth," Palpatine instructed, clearly still angry.

 

"I will collar you again, Severus. And this time it will be a visible collar, pet!", snarled Palpatine.

 

"You will wear this until I have claimed you and your little imp proper. Should you receive a tattoo from our claiming ceremony, I will remove the collar again, pet. This is your last warning.", reminded him the tyrant coldly.

 

Silently Severus obeyed Palpatine's orders, knowing that their situation had become even worse than before.

* * *

"I'm most displeased with you, pet. You could have died today, do not dare ever again to prevent any justified punishment for your husband, Severus. Or you will be bound to one of my lab tables for a close inspection and for a whole series of experiments, until you have learned your lesson. _**My will is your law!**_ ", snarled Palpatine fighting to keep his wrath under control.

 

"I couldn't risk the baby, Master. Punish me, if you must, but I couldn't lose another baby, Master.", replied Severus brokenly.

 

"I see, pet. Yes, I will punish you, when the time is right. Let's return to my chambers, neither of you is allowed to talk to a member of the Skywalker clan. This includes any communication you would have tried with the Princess as well, pet."

 

"Yes, Master.", replied both. Harry didn't like the idea that Palpatine would once more wanted to experiment on his husband. The nightmare had been bad enough…

 

"Do you want to collar me as well?" Harry asked, head down in shame at failing his family.

 

“Until I had Severus I didn't generally care if my bed partners and any children I might have sired survived and I even occasionally went out of my way to make certain they didn't survive. I will allow the children from the pair of you to survive for my own reasons. That said the baby was an acceptable reason to be disobedient in this case just as it was for offering that deal when Severus was... ill," Palpatine told them coldly. "I have ways of punishing you both without causing actual harm but thus far I don't see a reason to use them versus ones that leave marks and damage as a reminder. Keep that in mind the next time one or both of you risk your lives without my consent. Now, take your positions as instructed."

* * *

 

Severus obediently opened Harry's pants, leaving the front sealed as his own punishment for Harry's recklessness even as he could easily slide inside his husband's tight heat. Casting a quiet preparation spell on both of them in case Palpatine changed his mind mid-fuck he mounted his pregnant husband just as Harry swallowed the Emperor's cock. The brutal face fucking Harry received despite his sore throat quickly had him whining and begging around the imperial cock, driving his husband to snarl and respond in kind with pounding his ass. Severus was quickly dragged into a deep kiss as Harry was kept pinned on both invading cocks while he whimpered for relief that he was fairly certain wouldn't come any time soon.

 

The castle watched carefully as Harry was thoroughly taken all while quietly re-arranging the corridors and secret passage ways. If they were going to leave then they would be bonded first.

* * *

 

Neither of you will leave my chambers or my bed for the next 24 hours. I will collar you, pet, as soon as we're inside my chambers. And you won't be able to speak for the next 12 hours.", decided Palpatine. "You have earned a spanking, pet — since you wanted protect your child, you can choose a spanking by hand or using a cane."

 

"The cane, Master. I deserve the cane for my disobedience.", murmured Severus quietly.

 

"So be it. Do not test me again. Or I'll guarantee that none of you will ever see your child again, after it had been born.", warned them Palpatine as he dragged both back to his chambers.

 

As soon as they had entered Palpatine's chambers, used the emperor the force to chain Harry to the wall. He removed Severus clothes and forced him to bend over the dining table, at which he bound him for the duration of his punishment. Taking out a collar from one of his hidden stores, that gleamed threateningly in the artificial light, Palpatine locked it around Severus' neck and spoke the activation word. Now only he could remove it, or should he die, it would open automatically, but with this collar, Severus wouldn't be able to deny Palpatine any wish.

 

Taking an elegant cane from his supply closet, the Sith Lord stepped behind Severus and caressed lovingly his back before he began to speak:

 

"I have decided to give you 12 of the best, my beloved Severus. I want you to count loud, it is the last chance for you to speak, before your second part of the punishment will start, pet. If you're a good boy, then I will not dose you with my special potion, Severus. Brace yourself!"

 

"Yes, Master. One, Master.", screamed Severus, as the first smack hit his unprotected arse. The emperor varied between his bum and his thighs, and hit hard, until Severus moaned in pain, and hung tiredly in his restraints.

 

As it was over, he felt soft caresses from his Master, and leaned into the touch.

 

"Th-Thank you for my correction, Master.", murmured Severus, before he fainted.

 

Palpatine smirked as he activated the feature, that would prevent his pet from speaking any word, until the punishment was over.

 

Carefully injected Palpatine a light sedative into Severus' arm and tucked Severus into his bed. A finger snip create a force wall around the bed, no loud, no sound would be heard within.

* * *

 

Now dissolved the Sith Lord the force chain around Harry's neck and let the little force alchemist fall on the ground.

 

"Let me made one thing clear, young Skywalker. The only reason, I letting you keep your pathetic life, is the strange unwanted bond which you have with my pet and the fact that you carry his heir in your belly. Wouldn't it kill him, if I separate you, you wouldn't even once shared our bed. Instead you would have ended up as a carbonite mural for my study! After the brat is born, you will learn, why nobody raise my ire, young Skywalker.", hissed Palpatine.

 

For your punishment, I will inject you a little drug of mine, that shows you visions of a long forgotten past — enjoy them, while I tend to my pet. By the way, you were right, he had accepted my claim long ago — in fact, it was even before your little group landed the first time on Coruscant. Otherwise he would have been forced to watch your execution and I would have claimed him nevertheless.", laughed the tyrant heartily.

 

Palpatine glowered at the young Master of Death, who had made it practically impossible to be separated from his property. The Sith Lord vowed to find a way to cut their bonds. Severus belonged to him, but at least his force barrier would made it impossible for the brat to touch Severus at all.

 

"You deserved your own additional punishment for your constant disobedience, young Skywalker. Therefore you will not be able to touch or interact in any way or form with my pet, before the 12 hours are over. However, on my return, you will see and feel anything that I do to him, as if you were in his place.", laughed the Sith Lord.

 

"Count yourself lucky, that I haven't wiped his memories, yet. It would be so easy to arrange it. Should you try to touch him, then the force will punish you and you will be reduce to a mere fuck toy for my loyal red guards. Of course you would be drugged with one of my strongest aphrodisiacs, that made you beg for their cocks in any orifice of your scrawny body, boy! And I would use a version, that can only satisfy you, if they tear you apart. Sweet dreams, young Skywalker. I have to go to the Imperial archives for a study about force alchemist bondings.", commented Palpatine softly.

 

Harry growled involuntarily and Palpatine smirked triumphantly as he added before leaving them alone:

 

"My pet will me beg for our bonding, before the weekend is over, young Skywalker, just wait and see. He is already so responsive and eager for my next move. And should you try to get him to change his mind about it, then I will take great delight into cutting out your tongue and maybe even cripple you for life. You are his breeding slave nothing more and I will ensure that this will be always at the forefront of his mind."

* * *

 

Harry recoiled back in fear, he knew that Palpatine would be evil enough to do this to them. He wouldn't have any problems to use Harry and their unborn child as leverage to get Severus absolute submission to Palpatine's cause.

 

The young boy shivered as he couldn't believe his eyes — near the bed on the other side of the barrier materialised a figure out of nothing. Looking like a perfect blend between Dumbledore, Riddle & Grindelwald, the phantom bowed low and smirked evilly.

 

"It is time to create our vessel.", rasped the strange figure as he spread Severus' legs further apart and tied them to the bed post, before binding Severus' hands over his head to the headboard.

 

"We have waited so long, until the time was right, with this deed his destiny will be sealed and both he and our vessel will belong forever to the dark side. Sedated he won't be able to deny us anything. We have chosen well", laughed the mysterious phantom.

 

"Do we need to kill Palpatine or wait, until their wedding night?", asked a voice which sounds strikingly like Riddle.

 

"Let's toss a coin, first we have to impregnate our pet. Oh, I should have taken him after the Shrieking Shack, he was so furious with my favouritism and I would have ensured that he submits to me, without a chance of escape. Locking him away in a tower, without any contact to others, except the children he would have born for our cause. Although I had enjoyed it to lord the Potter brat over him. Nothing brought him more under my control, as if I threaten to have a bit fun with young Harry instead. His godson was always good for stopping any rebellious spirits..." replied the voice, who sounds like Dumbledore.

 

Harry trembled infuriated, he didn't know who this person — was it a person? Could be, but they will not touch his husband without his approval. Gathering his magic, feeling a bit surprised a tug and added strength from their unborn child, did Harry manage it to flung the phantom out of the room, while Hogwarts sealed them shut.

 

Harry breathed heavily, they were safe, but for how long?

 

According to Palpatine he wouldn't be allowed for the next 12 hours to interact in any way with Severus, he couldn't even say how long this sedative would work, but at least for the moment Severus was safe from being raped by this creepy figure.

* * *

 

Outside of the imperial chambers did the evil entity snarled angrily. He didn't like to be denied anything It would have been so delicious to take the dour Potions Master without his consent, maybe even waking him up, but helpless against their advances. The brat ruined anything, anytime. Dumbledore had never wanted him to survive, whereas the Potions Master didn't need to die, subdued — yes, at any cost, but his death robbed them from the possibility to break him and to claim him for the darkness.

 

The first time Severus had entered Hogwarts Dumbledore had shivered of delight as he saw the scrawny boy. Never before had he seen such a perfect mixture between light & dark — a dark core, that screams to made the boy submit to the Headmaster's whims... teaching him his place, while ensuring that nobody else would care for him.

 

Luna and the good powers inside the castle had focused the light magic in a cleverly crafted weapon as Hogwarts brought her directly behind the evilness that contaminated the castle. It needs to die, otherwise they wouldn't be able to clean it. And it may be only a small reprieve, but without a body, they had more time to plan their next steps.

 

Praying to the deities (Death, Fate & Magic) die Luna release the projectile that destroyed the evil entity and made it lose his hold on the Imperial Palace formerly known as Hogwarts.

 

The collaboration of Luna and the good powers of Hogwarts destroyed the current manifestation of the evil entity and ensured that palace and her two favourites would be safe at least for another week.

* * *

 

Palpatine returned 9 hours later, a small tube in his hand, which scared Harry witless, as his smile didn't bode well for either of them. The emperor waved his hand and the force lifted Harry up, before dropping him hard on the floor, still protecting the unborn child, but it hurt nevertheless.

 

"You can use the bathroom, young Skywalker, and afterwards you can chose, either to spend the evening with your family outside of those chambers. But I warn you now, should you chose it, then you will not be able to return until breakfast. You will not be able to touch your husband, before his punishment is over, therefore your staying is pointless, young force alchemist.", chuckled the emperor.

 

"A-And i-if I s-stay?", stammered Harry, glancing warily at the small tube in Palpatine's hand.

 

"You would be limited to this side of the room, not being able to interact in any way or form with your husband, and be forced to watch, while I'll use this crème on my beloved Severus.", smirked Palpatine coldly.

 

"It is mind-blowing, and I will enjoy every second of it, while your husband will not be able to deny me anything. Believe me, he will accept my suggestions, before the night is over, and tomorrow I will claim him according to our ancient customs.", replied Palpatine.

 

Harry hurried into the bathroom for his ablutions and consider his options. There was no chance that he would let Severus even one second alone with the emperor, but this crème sounded bad.

 

"I'll stay, your Majesty.", decided Harry and sat down on one of the soft pillows that had been placed on this side of the chamber.

 

"Enjoy the show, young Skywalker, I will made my pet beg, even before he will be getting his voice back.", laughed the emperor.

* * *

 

Severus had awoken and looked sleepily around, where was Harry? Where was Palpatine?" He felt odd, looking up, he recognised that during his sleep he had been bound to the bed, still naked, but in a position that gives Palpatine easy access to Severus' whole body.

 

"Hush, pet. Let's see how you will react on my crème.", smirked Palpatine, whose hands glisten from said crème, as he caressed Severus' body.

 

Severus squirmed, it was cool, but at the same time, did the crème awoke all senses of his body — a cloud of pleasure clouded his senses, which became thicker every second, as his eyes glassed over. The influence of the crème was too strong for the half-asleep wizard, and Palpatine enjoyed it immensely.

 

He kissed and licked, down Severus' treasure trail, until he reached Severus' hole and starting to rim the baffled Potions Master, who still couldn't utter any word because of the new collar.

 

Harry growled silently as he had to watch helplessly, now had the fiend even the audacity to kissed Severus' pucker, while he smirked at Harry.

 

"Let's play a bit, pet. I will wear you out, until you can't even twitch, my beloved Severus. And you will beg me not to stop.", smirked the emperor. He had developed this crème to kept new political prisoners under a tight control, after bonding them to one of his noble henchmen.

 

It didn't need much to get anyone under its absolute control.

 

"I can end it anytime, my dear Severus. Accept my claim, and bond with me. Let me take you with some of our oldest rituals, and I will never again harm your brat or any of his children. You may not be able to talk loud at the moment, but I know that you can talk with your mind, accept pet. You have given me your word, that you would be mine, before you landed the first time on Coruscant. It is time that you will follow through with this.", commented Palpatine,

 

He thrust directly into Severus' tight heat and started a chant in the old language to strengthen his hold on Severus again.

* * *

 

Bowing his head in defeat, Severus nodded. Yes, he had given his word. Using the new mind link to his Master, Severus send the one message, that would seal his fate.

 

"I accept, Master. Claim me. On my life, my honour and my magic, I'm yours.", before he blacked out from the strong orgasm.

 

The Sith Lord laughed evilly and fucked Severus through another orgasm, before he de-activated the part of the collar, that controlled Severus' voice.

 

"Good boy, I can't wait to claim you over the altar...", chuckled Palpatine.

 

Using the force, did he remove casually the ropes which tied Severus to the bed and the force barrier that separated Harry from his husband.

 

"Your punishment is over, young Skywalker. But your husband is now irrevocably mine. You have lost, young Magi.", said Palpatine as he disappeared in the bathroom.

* * *

 

Harry and Severus looked at each other for a moment before falling into each other's arms, clutching at each other as they sank to the floor together. This was how Palpatine found them, wrapped around each other.

 

"Pet," Palpatine commanded with quiet steel. Severus shivered before reluctantly looking up at his master. "Put him on the bed. As promised, he is yours to do with as you wish. You bonded with your small husband against my wishes but as long as neither of you betray me I will allow you to keep one another and your children. You have my word."

 

"Thank you master," the pair of wizards murmured before obeying.

 

"The next time you will disobey me, I will personally gouge out his eyes, Severus. Do not forget it.", growled Palpatine as he tugged harshly at Severus' hair.

 

"N-N-No, M-Ma-Master. I-I'll b-be g-g-good.", stammered Severus terrified.

 

"The same is valid for you, young Skywalker. The next time you disobey me, your husband will lose his voice permanently. I do not think that you would be willing to risk it, don't you agree my young magi?", chuckled Palpatine evilly.

 

"N-No, Master. You've made your point perfectly clear. We belong to you, with life, magic and soul.", murmured Harry submissively.

 

"Good, I'll have a few meetings with my council, but we will dine later today. Rest, until I return, my pets.", chuckled Palpatine as he left the room.

 

Harry slept fitfully during the night, even Severus cuddled close to him one hand on their unborn child didn't prevent the nightmare from engulfing the young magi...

* * *

 

_Harry may not believe his eyes, but this reality was worse as he had thought. Even as Kenobi had been shown up de-aged and alive on their ship. Severus had landed on the forgotten planet where he had been found and captured by the red guard. It had been the secret summer residence of Palpatine for decades._

 

_Whatever had brought both Magi to this universe hadn't set a bond for them, except the rest of the life debt. Therefore Severus was fair game to anyone, who wanted to claim him and Palpatine exploited this shamelessly. Using Mara Jade to confuse and seal Severus’ fate at Palpatine’s side._

 

_Harry watched disgusted as Palpatine experimented on his husband (not his husband in this dream), destroyed all compulsions in Severus' mind and collared him, after claiming him as his new pet. Harry had managed to heal Vader and to de-age him in this dream, too — while re-uniting with the twins, but it didn't make their situation any easier._

 

_After being called to Coruscant, Harry had to be hold back by both twins, at the horrible sight in front of his eyes. Vader had to do the same to Obi-Wan, who snarled furiously at Palpatine’s latest evilness._

 

_A glassy eyed Severus (one eye red; one eye onyx), visible pregnant and kneeling beside Palpatine's throne a collar on his neck, clearly visible through the vest with Palpatine's crest on it._

 

_This Palpatine seems even more sadistic as his counterpart on the other plane._

 

_"Treason against the empire is punishable by death, however I will be generous, you can chose a champion of your own. Should you win against my champion, then I will let you live, even if that meant you will be banished, stripped from all your titles and wealth, and all of your powers be bound for the rest of your natural lives. Do you accept!"_

 

_"We do! But, if we win, then you will let Severus go!", growled Harry aggravated. He wanted to keep him safe, no matter the cost._

 

_"Overconfident much, young hero? How sweet, you have a crush on him. Dreaming of special detentions and that he’ll bend you over his desk", mocked him Palpatine. "Let's see how you will deal with my hands. Mara, show those scum, why you're one of the best and defend the honour of your long-lost twin."_

 

_The young red-haired woman bowed deeply, kissed Severus softly on his cheek, before caressing his baby bump._

 

_"As you wish, emperor. I can't wait until my dear brother will be giving birth to your heir and fight at my side again. You know how bloodthirsty he can be. But was it necessary to use this medicine on him, just that he won't snuff those pathetic Jedis out, Master?"_

 

_"Of course, it was necessary. He will be my enforcer after the child is born, not before even if my pet can be very ruthless. He is the perfect consort for me", chuckled Palpatine..._

* * *

 

Harry woke up and looked terrified around, before he saw Severus sleeping at his side. It was only a bad dream or was it a warning what could happen, if Palpatine would win?

 

"I will not lose you, Sev. No matter the cost.", promised Harry, before he cuddled Severus closer to his body.


	27. Palpatine’s contingency plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More to learn about Palpatine's evil plans...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With the help of Sugahuney... 2 new chapters for you... ;)

Many years ago, the emperor had launched a secret clone programme. His followers were clueless that he had planned to rule forever, if they had only realized they would have made attempts to stop him. Therefore he had managed to clone himself, a third of which had strong force powers. However, his favourite clone, who was now turning 30 years within the next few days had been well hidden on Tython.

 

Nobody, except the emperor, knew Tython existed much less how to reach the planet with its hidden temples and palaces that were built during the begin of the Jedi and Sith orders. At the moment he had a two-forked plan. The first part would ensure that the bond between his pets will be broken shortly, as this strange connection between them prove to be an ex-tremely vexing obstacle in reaching his goals. The second part, would be activated after his death. Two of his most loyal red guard would knock out Severus and place him into a special space ship, that would be sent to Tython were his clone would be waiting for fulfilling his destiny.

* * *

 

The last few decades his clone had been spent in stasis, but learned via force and technology during his sleeping periods. All 5 years, after surviving the toddler years where nursery droids tended to him, he had been awoken and was allowed 6 months outside the stasis chamber. The final awakening would happen with Palpatine’s death. Then the stasis chamber would free his heir and the galaxy would experience true terror.

 

Of course his clone wasn’t the only one on Tython, he had secretly cloned Anakin and even his late wife Padmé, both were still kept in stasis as toddlers and both had been infused with a strong compulsion, that made them 100% loyal to the empire and to the Dark Side of the Force. They would only awaken, after his young clone claimed Severus in Sith style, in the oldest Sith temple on Tython. Family was another weakness of his pet, one that the geriatric emperor enjoys to exploit anytime, anywhere and anyplace.

* * *

 

 Yes, it was time to inject the drug into his favourite pet, that shows him future visions. Or did Severus really believe that Palpatine would ever set him free? As soon as their bond would be dissolved, he would send Vader, his two sons and his slave on a mission with no return for either of them. Leia, her beau and the Wookie would be die next, as soon as their heir was born and Mara had him brought back to the imperial palace. This would made his pet the last Skywalker, except for the baby boy, but at the same time it would remove any danger for his marital bliss. The Sith lord had already the drug prepared that would ensured that Severus would lost the majority of his memories of his past life.

 

Or maybe he could ban Harry for life to Vader’s palace on Mustafar, after successfully moulding him into a mindless sex toy and breeding slave. Who was only allowed once or twice a year to be visited by his husband and their Master for another heated breeding session. It would still mean to drug his pet on those days with his heat drugs, and allowing him for a few hours to remember the little magi. Still it would be worth it to increase the heartbreak and the constant fear in the youngest Skywalker. Especially the knowledge that he had lost his husband forever to the emperor and the dark side of the force would subdue the vexing brat, as he would be forced to watch again and again Severus being taken by Palpatine over any hard surface in Vader’s palace.

 

However he still owed his pet the visit to the forgotten palace. It would be perfect to impregnate him again. The palace stood in one of the oldest and darkest parts of the planet, nobody had been able to explore all his secrets, perfect for a first date.

 

Still the Sith Lord pondered his options, he would drug the meals of his pets, without a doubt, but should he only add a lust drug, which made them more vulnerable for his advances or should he follow his original plan and place the vision drug in their drinks? He had already decided to force Severus to kneel for their meal, while the pregnant brat would be placed strategically in his lap and being fondled during the meal, with a clear focus on the soft belly.

 

Besides it would help him to prove a theory, that his favourite pet knows a way to test food and drink for hidden surprises. It was time to nip this in the bud, while making it clear, who was the head of their family.

 

Evilly chuckling Palpatine decided to drug Severus’ meal with a strong aphrodisiac, that only allows Palpatine as release. He would add the vision drug, nevertheless, as countless tests have proven, that no negative results happened by a combination of both drugs. Harry’s meal would only contained the vision drug, however, he would use the force to tie the little brat up, while he enjoys having his wicked way with Severus.

 

Severus had had more than enough time to overcome the grief about the loss of their first child. He belongs to Palpatine with soul, mind and body. Therefore it was overdue to knock him up once more.

* * *

 

 Leaving his study, the emperor wasted no time in entering his private rooms. Smirking viciously at his two pets, he had really worn them out during their last playtime. Even in sleep Harry had clung to Severus like a limpet, arranging his arms as additional protection for their unborn child. A frown marred his face, which amused the Sith Lord immensely. The nightmare drug which he had mixed a few nights before in Harry’s food seems to finally effect the vexing brat, that was good news for the old tyrant. Not only would it take down the annoying brat a few pegs, but it would increase his fear, that he would lose his husband permanently to the Sith Lord.

 

Without hesitation he used the link between them to breach Harry’s dream. Whatever disturbed him would grant more ammunition to allow him a bigger leverage over the duo.

* * *

 

  _Harry had run to the medical wing, after returning from his latest mission with Vader and Luke. Obi-Wan’s message had disturbed them greatly. The red guard had brought Severus and their child to the medical wing without any further explanation. Obi-Wan had stayed on Coruscant to protect the youngest member of the Skywalker clan. But even he had been helpless to stop the evil plan of the emperor._

 

_Palpatine wasn’t pleased with sharing Severus and had found a way not only to end their bonds, but caused a temporary amnesia in father and child. Both were only able to remember what Palpatine allowed them to remember. The blood adoption potion which Severus had to brew under Palpatine’s scrutiny ensured that Palpatine was one of the fathers. The whole duration of the brewing process Palpatine had hold the small boy in his arms and had always been in the vision of his pet. It was an easy way to ensure that Severus wouldn’t even consider to spoil the potion._

 

_The little boy cowered in fear from the stranger, hiding in his father’s robe, as Harry stormed into the infirmary. Severus didn’t even acknowledge his husband, instead he seems to be looking for a way to defend themselves against an unknown threat. His arm protectively slung around his child, while his wandarm had been pointed with his wand at Harry, ready to fight should it be necessary._

 

_And there was the Sith Lord smirking evilly, as he appeared behind Severus’ bed and cuddled them closer, while presenting Severus’ new tattoo. He kissed it slowly, the challenge visible in his eyes._

 

“ _Step away from my family, you fiend”, screamed Harry._

 

“ _Your family, I think your mistaken, both of them are mine, young Skywalker. I don’t think they have even an inkling who you are, boy.”, chuckled Palpatine. “As you can see, my drug was very successful. Finally none of them are tainted any longer because of you. Last chance, boy. Leave us alone or face your consequences. None of them will ever be able to remember you ever again. I have wiped you completely from their minds and replace all those memories.”_

 

_As Harry tried to touch his husband, he recoiled in fear, as Severus bend over in pain, force lightning run over his whole body. The little boy was protected, but Severus’ face lost the rest of his colour._

 

“ _Ah, didn’t I told you this would happen. You will never be able to touch him again, young fool. Only my touch can sooth the pain. Watch and learn.” smirked the Sith lord as he softly caress Severus’ hand and at once the pain stopped._

 

“ _Th-Thank y-you, M-M-Master”, stammered Severus tiredly._

 

_Even the little boy dared to hug the emperor for a few seconds, before hiding once more in his father’s robes._

 

“ _Slept well and protect your baby sister, my son. It won’t be long until you can meet her.”, commented Palpatine as he kissed his confused pet, before caressing the pregnant body of his pet._

* * *

 

 Harry woke up and observed disturbed his environment, realising the emperor was close, he wriggled carefully out of Severus’ embrace and knelt submissively on the floor.

 

“Learned your lesson, brat? Take a shower, we will eat in a few minutes. Don’t worry, I will wake Severus just in time.”, laughed Palpatine, as Harry stumbled on his feet and hurried into the bath.

* * *

 

 Palpatine didn’t waste any time, and took Harry’s place into Severus’ arms, before he stole a few kisses. Severus’ dark eyes opened and he stared in wonder at the emperor in his arms.

 

“Slept well, my pet?”, inquired Palpatine, before bending over Severus and stole another kiss.

 

Confused Severus nodded, unsure if this was a dream or reality, something that’d amuse the old Sith very much. It was much easier to nourish Severus’ dark side, when he was confused and more vulnerable to any of Palpatine’s numerous attacks, be they physically or mentally.

 

“The brat is taking a shower, you will go next, while our dinner will be served. Both of you are allowed to wear a light robe, but nothing else. This time you will be kneeling at my side, while your brat will be sitting in my lap. Behave or you’ll be regretting it.”, growled the old emperor.

 

Severus nodded again, his collar had for a few seconds heated up so that he knew, that this time Palpatine didn’t accept any excuses. It had taken more than a few hard training sessions during which the old Sith used Severus as his personal sex toy, which ensured that Harry wouldn’t be collared and allowed to stay in Palpatine’s room as well as sharing the same bed. As long as Severus was available and willing to submit anytime to Palpatine’s whims, his pregnant husband would be safe from any repercussions.

* * *

 

 The Sith smirked coldly, he enjoyed to wield this huge amount of power over both of his pets. Since the first time he had seen Severus via the force, the old Sith had steadily increased his hold on the stubborn and proud force alchemist. Insured that the leash for his pet had become tighter and tighter, until a single command would be enough for Severus’ total submission to Palpatine’s visions. It had been quite obvious that Severus would be willing to sacrifice his own life, his body, freedom and dignity, if that ensured that nothing bad would happen to the rest of the Skywalker clan and especially to the brat and their unborn child.

 

This satisfied the old Sith Lord immensely, as it allows him gradually increasing his hold on the gifted Force Alchemist. A child would bind Severus irrevocably to him, and should Palpatine succeed, that nobody except himself and once in a far away future his perfect clone would be the only ones, who would fuck Severus. He belongs to Palpatine and nobody would be able to change that. Be it magic, destiny or force, Palpatine was ruthless enough to have everything at his disposal to ensure that Severus wouldn’t even dare to rebel against his Master. Not if he wanted the brat and any of their future children to survive.

 

Harry left the bathroom clothed in a light robe, gulped slightly as he saw Palpatine’s gesture, before he dropped to the floor and crawled to the table. The whole time his gaze had been locked on the floor, Harry didn’t even dare to look at his husband, much to Palpatine’s delight.

 

Bowing again, Severus hurried into the bath. He didn’t want to leave Harry alone with Palpatine if he could help it. The old Sith chuckled evilly and demanded Harry at his side, before dragging the surprised force alchemist in his lap and starting to pet him.

* * *

 

 “Listen well, brat. I have a little test for your husband. You will be on your best behaviour and not even try to inform him about it. Do exactly what I say and I’m willing to grant you a bit more leniency.”, hissed the old Sith into Harry’s ear.

 

Having taken a quick shower, it was refreshing, but still Severus didn’t dare to waste any time. He knew his imp too well to let him alone with the emperor anytime he could do something about it. Stepping out of the bathroom in a light robe, the Potions Master automatically knelt down and crawled slowly to their dinner table, where Palpatine and Harry were already waiting for him.

 

Severus had learned by different Masters, that the first duty of a pet or a servant is to obey or being punished. He would do _**anything**_ to prevent harm for his imp and his unborn child. He didn’t care any longer about his own fate, he couldn’t changed it no matter how much he may wished it. However, as long as the rest of their family would be safe, he could easier accept his current situation.

 

Not looking at both of them, the Potions Master knelt on the mat besides Palpatine’s chair and breathed slowly in and out, while the old Sith lord pet him like a favourite pet. It didn’t ruin Palpatine’s mood as he was quite sure that sooner or later Severus would betray himself and should that happen, he was once more at Palpatine’s non-existent mercy.

 

Dinner was served, drinks ready to be drunk, and the gaze of the emperor wandered to his pet, as he caressed Harry. The young magi bit worried on his lip, he knew that he couldn’t warn Severus without making the Sith angry, but he feared what would happen to his husband should he step into Palpatine’s trap.

 

Severus didn’t notice Harry’s turmoil, his thoughts were still caught in the memory, that Palpatine had made it clear, he wouldn’t wait longer to claim him over the ancient Sith Altar deep below the Palace. Still, it was impossible to ignore the astral projections of long-lost compatriots and friends.

 

Could that be? Were Earth and Coruscant identical? And should this be true, how far away had they been send into the future? This was so confusing, but Severus feared the answers, as it didn’t bode well for their fates. Nobody alive who can repair or even create new wands. Would other force alchemists still be born? Or are they the last ones?

* * *

 

Automatically he made over his food the gesture to check for malicious additions to his food, as quick like a rattlesnake the geriatric hand of the emperors caught his right hand and pressed it painfully on the table.

 

Severus bit on his lip to avoid a scream of pain, nobody could deny that the old Sith still hadn’t lost any of his strength. Slightly shocked Severus looked up, before bowing his head in acknowledgement of his folly, which amused the old Sith immensely.

 

“Tsk, tsk, Severus. This was stupid, my beloved. Do you not trust me? Or do you need a reminder what happens to naughty pets.”, growled the emperor, never giving Severus’ hand free from his brutal grip.

 

Severus shook his head, he had understand the warning just too clear. Whatever happens was out of his control, and he could only accept it graciously or suffer the consequences. He only hoped, that the emperor wouldn’t punish Harry instead of him.

 

“Since it was the first time, and I’m in a good mood, you’re lucky, pet. You will only be tied to me on a very short leash, during our little expedition, tomorrow. You and I will be exploring the forgotten palace on Coruscant. And you will be on your best behaviour, Severus. No refusal of any of my wishes or even trying to free yourself of leash and collar, my sweet boy, until we are back in these quarters again, then I would be able to overlook this folly.”

 

“T-th-thank y-y-you, M-M-Master. I — I — I d-d-do n-n-not d-d-de-deserve y-y-your k-k-kind-kindness.”, stammered Severus anxiously.

 

“No need to worry, pet. It’s my pleasure to guide you on the correct path, Severus.”, chuckled the emperor as he fed Harry from another plate. “We will go early to bed, and you will not even try to remove yourself from my embrace, Severus. Or I will reconsider your punishment.”, hissed the old man warningly.

 

“No, Master. I’ll be good.”, promised Severus timidly, before following once more some of the unspoken directions of Palpatine to digest his meal without further delay. Harry who had witnessed this demonstration of power fearfully, didn’t dare to utter any comment. Who knows how far Palpatine would go, if one of them would dare to rebel so openly against the old Sith.

* * *

 

The silence wasn’t soothing, but neither Harry nor Severus dared to talk, and still Severus wondered, what had Palpatine planned? It didn’t bode well for them, but the Potions Master would do anything to protect Harry and their unborn child from harm. Even if that meant to kill the Sith lord.

 

Terrified Severus looked up, into the triumphant cold eyes of his Master. What was happening to him. He started to shiver, feeling sweat running down his muscles and he really needed something to fill his tight hole, something only Palpatine could grant him. No, he couldn’t, he wouldn’t do that. Who was he kidding, obviously the old Sith would do it, just because he could do it.

 

“Do you have a problem, Severus. Should I grant you release? Beg me, tell me what you need.”, mocked him the Sith lord, while Harry looked shock at the scene. It seems that the old Sith had once more added something malicious to their meals. No wonder, he was so keen to watch Severus’ actions.

 

“Harry, you will spend the night with your father and brother. I’ll be giving you 20 minutes, before you have changed into proper clothing and some of my red guards will bring you directly to your loving family.”, ordered the emperor.

 

“Yes, Master. As you wish, Master.” murmured Harry quietly. He ran to the bathroom, at the current stage of his pregnancy it was still possible for him to walk or run fast, but he disliked to leave Severus alone with the powerhungry lunatic.

* * *

 

 Severus tried to control his breathing, as his thoughts became more and more dizzy. He felt that only the Sith could help him to cool down, but he was still sore from their last sessions, not that it would matter either way. He belonged to Palpatine, Harry’s life depends on his submission.

 

Giving in, it wasn’t as he had another choice, he crawled into the center of the room and presented himself to his Master, after removing the robe from his sweaty body. The Sith smirked deviously and used the force to transport a St. Andrew’s cross in the center of the room. Ordering Severus to stand up, he bound the Potions Master to the cross, and caressed slowly the naked body of his favourite.

 

“To whom do you belong, pet?”, inquired Palpatine, while he leisurely removed his royal cock from his robes.

 

“Y-y-yours. I b-b-belong only to you M-ma-master”, stammered Severus still trying to fight against the lust drug, that flooded his blood stream. Palpatine had used a time delayed trigger on both drugs, which could only be activated by him, after all he was in a playful mood and enjoyed to wield his power over his naughty pet from time to time.

 

“Good, never forget it, pet. You have been a pretty naught boy, Severus. That’s 10 smacks for your latest infraction, pet. Don’t forget to count and do not move. Be a good boy, and I will give you what you need.”, chuckled the emperor, as he slowly used his cock to tease Severus’ cleft.

 

As promised 10 smacks hit Severus’ body. The Potions Master counted loudly, just being grateful that the Sith seems to hold back for the moment. He felt something big and thick at his entrance, before Palpatine thrust brutally into the sore tight hole of his favourite pet.

 

Using a hard and brutal rhythm to establish once more his absolute dominance over his prisoner, Severus silently endured being once more demoted to a mere sex toy for a lunatic. He had just been grateful, as the drug seems to vanish and he hadn’t been longer under its influence.

 

Palpatine smirked coldly, he really enjoyed it to take Severus as so hard, before using the force to turn him around, still bound to the St. Andrew’s Cross. A precise force attack on Severus’ breast, let them swell up and started lactating, while the emperor played with them. He knew how this must disturb his pet, and didn’t hesitate to latch onto them and started to suckle slowly and teasingly, while his hands played once more with Severus’ cock and balls.

 

“Tell me, pet. Are you mine or not?”, asked the Sith, as he repeated the assault again and again.

 

“Y-y-yours. I’m yours. Just stop it, please Master. I can’t endure it any longer.” pleaded Severus.

 

“Why should I?”, inquired Palpatine.

 

“I’m too tired, Master. I wouldn’t be able to entertain you any longer, and I only wish to be safe into your arms.”, replied Severus. He may despise the old song and dance, but he needed to convince Palpatine, that he had given into his fate.

 

“Learned your lesson, pet. That’s good, never forget that you’re mine. Behave and nothing will happen to your toy or his family. Rebel against me, and I will made them all suffer greatly.”, warned him the old Sith.

 

Severus nodded silently, at the moment he didn’t dare to deny the danger all of them had been forced to face since Palpatine had gotten them into his geriatric clutches.

 

Using the force to clean them both, Palpatine freed Severus and carefully carried him to their shared bed, where he lovingly tugged him in. After taking a quick shower, he returned to the bed, where he found Severus already asleep.

* * *

 

 Palpatine slipped under the covers and drew Severus into his arms, this was his preferred position, it would only be better if Severus would once more be carrying his child. He would ensure that his wish come true, and then he would find a way to destroy those blasted bonds between the green-eyed brat and his beloved pet.

 

Harry and the other Skywalkers would be dealt with afterwards, while his drugs would be used to modify Severus’ memories and reactions to the other group members. Victory will be his, and very soon his pet would be kneeling to him beside his throne on Coruscant, while the imperial army will destroy the last laughable resistance of the rebellions. The leader will be captured and publicly executed, while their last hours will be transmitted to every household and every planet in the galaxy, as a warning what will happen to traitors and rebels, who had gained his displeasure.

 

At the same time, Severus would be prepared for his new status as his consort, while his taming would be perfected, until he wouldn’t be able to remember his past any longer. Depending on young Harry and his family, after breaking the bonds, the emperor would do anything in his powers to ensure that Severus would have to kill Harry. It would be the ultimate test of his loyalty to his Master.

 

This would only work, after he could be sure, that Severus wouldn’t be able to rebel against him any longer and had forgotten what Harry really meant for him. Nobody except Palpatine had the right to claim his Force Alchemist. A few minutes later the Sith lord slept, too, without a care in the world. Never losing his grip on his pet, as if he feared that someone would try to steal Severus, if he didn’t stay alert.


End file.
